Water and Gold
by let's go bother snape
Summary: To Marvel Gould, being in the Hunger Games is a dream come true, but to Serena Brooke, it's her worst nightmare-until they change each other's minds. Warning: contains mature language because Cato loves to curse.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its original characters. **__**This applies to all the chapters.**_

* * *

**So... this is my very first fanfic! I've been working on it for about three months, but I decided to wait until it was finished to publish it. For now, I'll upload the prologue and Chapter 1, and I'll try to upload the rest as often as possible.**

**I decided to write it because I thought there was an outrageous lack of Marvel fanfics at the time xD Anyway, I thought he deserved some recognition and a bit of romance too. I tried to stay as close to the books as possible, with the addition of some of my favorite details from the movie.**

**Also, I based it on a fairytale (my next two Hunger Games fics will be based on Snow White and Beauty and the Beast).**

**I really hope you like it, and I'd be thankful to get reviews :)**

* * *

"_She has given us a knife: here it is, see it is very sharp. Before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince; when the warm blood falls upon your feet they will grow together again, and form into a fish's tail, and you will be once more a mermaid, and return to us to live out your three hundred years before you die and change into the salt sea foam. Haste, then; he or you must die before sunrise."_

_-Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid_

**Prologue**

"Mags?"

"Hm?"

"Are you asleep?"

"Not anymore."

The two elderly women are sitting on the porch, rocking their chairs and facing the sea below, while the gentle summer breeze caresses their faces marked by decades of nightmares and dreadful memories.

"I think someone's coming." Mags doesn't even open her eyes while she's speaking. She knows her best friend is losing her hearing, but she doesn't want to concern her.

Marina turns around on her chair just in time to see her youngest granddaughter, Serena, running towards her. She instantly knows something's wrong: there are tears streaming down the six-year-old girl's face, and she's approaching the house Mags has been sharing with Marina in Victor Village for the past three years as fast as her short legs allow her.

"G-Grandma!" the child can barely talk, she's practically choking on her tears.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Who made you cry?" Marina holds Serena in her arms and places her small head on her chest.

"I-It was Marina. She said something t-terrible."

The old woman frowns; she should have known better. Her oldest granddaughter, aged seventeen, was named after her but the resemblance ends there. _The girl really needs to learn to shut that mouth of hers sometimes._

"What did she say?"

"Sh-she said that if she gets reaped tomorrow she will k-kill anyone who comes across her in the arena. And th-then I told her she was a bad person. Sh-she got m-mad and said 'You think _I'm_ a bad p-person? If I'm a bad person, so is Grandma. She k-killed a lot of people when she was my age, you know? And so did M-Mags. If you don't believe me, go ask them'".

Marina feels Mags retracting next to her. She knows what she's thinking; she shuts her eyes and it all comes flooding back, even after fifty-three years. The countdown. _I'm going to die._ The Cornucopia, golden and somewhat beautiful, with promises of food and weapons. _I need to get there._ The blood. _Why is there so much blood?_ The sound of the cannon, once, twice, until there was no one left but her and the boy from District 1. The look of surprise, followed by panic, in his face when she threw that trident, pinning him to the ground, and then strangled him with the special hitch Mags had taught her while being her mentor. _I won. I'm going home. _The Capitol called them "The Miracle from District 4": two girls from the same district, best friends, reaped in consecutive years- and, against all odds, since they only had each other, both victors. They were called a miracle because Mags was her only mentor, and they were both fifteen at that time. _She should be chasing boys with me, not getting me ready for slaughter._

She grabs her granddaughter's shoulders and softly pushes her away, so she can look into those coal-dark eyes, so similar to her own and so unusual in District 4. She's the only one, out of her six granddaughters, to have inherited those eyes.

"Reena," she starts, addressing Serena by her nickname. "Your sister is right; but you have to understand that I had no choice, and that I am not proud of what I've done- I still think about it everyday. And sometimes we have to do whatever it takes to come back to our loved ones. Even if that means taking one person's life." _Or five_, she mentally adds.

"Like in that story you told? About the girl who lived under the sea?" Serena is looking at her, wide-eyed, suddenly forgetting about crying.

"Exactly."

"But… in the end she couldn't do it. She loved the prince too much, right? Even more than her own family. Even if he didn't love her back. And so," she straightens up and applies her 'important grown-up person' voice. "She died and turned into foam."

"Yes. That's the other thing about that story. We must be very careful about who we get attached to. If you start loving the wrong person, you might end up hurt. Do you understand me?"

Mags is now pretending to be asleep, but she has listened to every word. She agrees with her friend; anyone who has been in the Games would agree.

Serena and her grandmother are suddenly distracted by the sound of children's laughter: a boy, around twelve years old, and a girl, around nine, are playing in the waves. Serena lets out a loud cheer; despite being a few years older, these are her playground partners, who are always glad to have a smaller friend to be the baby when they are playing house. They look up and start calling "Reena!"

"I'm coming!" she answers. "Can I go, Grandma?"

"Of course. You don't want to keep your friends waiting!"

Mags opens her eyes in time to see Serena running down the path leading to the beach. When the girl joins her pals in the water, she feels a chill down her spine. She doesn't know why, but she's just had a bad feeling about these three children: dear Finnick, who is facing his first reaping tomorrow; little Annie, so reserved and already showing the beautiful young woman she will be; and her own best friend's granddaughter, Serena.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_**11 years later- District 1**_

_Marvel_

Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Fifty. I can feel someone is watching me from the corner of the training room while I do my daily set of pushups. Not that I mind; it's always good to have admirers. I get up and look around the room: even though it's still early, there are already about twenty boys and girls between the ages of sixteen and eighteen exercising.

If everything goes according to planned, this will be the last time I'll ever train here. I'm volunteering tomorrow, and I will either return as a victor or die trying to bring honor to my family. I've been training since I stopped wearing diapers: I have to do it. Marvel Gould, seventeen- District 1's next victor. The most charming to date, too, it seems, as I spot two girls, who should be training, talking louder than what is normal and giving me anxious glances every two seconds. I would bet my marvelous ass (oh, I love this expression) on how it was them watching me while I worked out. I look back, give them my best half-smirk, and they instantly turn around, giggling like mad. If I have this effect on the district girls, I can only imagine how the Capitol females will react: those women will be all over me like I'm covered in the latest glittering skin lotion. _Watch out, Finnick Odair._

Okay, maybe they won't love me as much as they love Odair, but still. I'm sure my brownish-blonde hair and light green eyes will get me sponsors; and if they don't, my spear-throwing skills certainly will.

My self-worship thoughts are interrupted by a familiar voice. "Marv!" my little sister, Crystal, calls from the door. I can tell she's been training as well, from the messy appearance of her blonde ponytail and the two rosy spots on her cheeks. She's just turned fourteen, but she's already taller than most of the girls in the room. But she's still so young… one can only imagine the panic I felt when Marcus Whitman, our district escort, drew her name at last year's reaping, and the relief when she was quickly replaced by a volunteer.

"Marv," she calls again when she gets closer, "Mom said today it's your turn to help in the store."

I roll my eyes. My parents run a jewelery store, and every once in a while, I must leave everything else and pretend I really care that _this pair of earrings really goes with the fabulous shade of green of your hair, miss. If I were you and had that lovely face, I would buy them right away._ Pathetic. I wouldn't expect Mom to understand that this is the day before my last reaping and therefore I should be getting ready for tomorrow, but I thought my father would talk to her about letting me train for the rest of the day.

"I'll go right away," I tell Crystal, while I put down the spear I had intended to throw across the room and impress some more fans. "Now you go back to your training and make your big brother proud."

"I will," she says with a mischievous smile. Then she turns around and leaves; I follow her, but I turn left to the exit and she goes upstairs, to the 13-15 year-olds training room. I won't even bother to take a shower: the Capitol citizens are very picky about other people's appearances, including that of those serving them, but as soon as I show them our sets of tiaras, necklaces, bracelets and rings, they don't even acknowledge I'm there. They're like insects attracted by a street lamp.

I shouldn't be complaining, though. A single item from our store, even one of the cheapest, is enough to feed a family for a month in, say, District 6.

I reach the store just as a pink-haired woman is leaving. I recognize her slightly as Effie Trinket, the District 12 escort; she has her back turned to me, as she's talking with someone inside; my mother, I presume.

"Thank you so much for your help! You know, I wouldn't be able to find emerald rings in the Capitol anymore even if I looked in every shop, every day for a month! I have to go now, tomorrow is a big, big, big day! Goodbye!"

She looks at me for a second before disappearing toward the train station, hopping on her 6-inch heels. _A big, big, big day_. I wonder how she manages to be so perpetually happy, year after year of drawing the names of tributes that always end up dying. District 12 never stands a chance; they haven't had a victor for the past 24 years, and it seems to be remaining that way, since that one is always drunk.

I enter the store, which is empty with the exception of two people: my mother and my 8 year-old brother, James. He's holding her hand, and her eyes are red and swollen. She's definitely been crying. How Effie managed to ignore that while purchasing a ring is beyond my understanding; maybe she just needs glasses, or maybe she thinks Mom is recovering from some kind of plastic surgery, and her face is supposed to look like that.

"What's wrong, Mom?" I ask as I give her a hug. She's so small; the top of her head doesn't even reach my shoulder height.

"What do you think it is? It's you! How can you be volunteering tomorrow, knowing what happened to my sister? How can you do this to your own mother?"

I sigh. That old story again: my aunt was one of the four tributes in the 2nd Quarter Quell that did not return to District 1. She was close, though- she tried to behead Haymitch Abernathy, but the axe bounced back on the force field and she died.

"Mom," I start softly, "I've been training for years. I know I'm ready. And I promise I'll watch out for force fields and smart-pants Seam kids."

_**District 4**_

_Serena_

Hm. This one's too small. This one's broken. This one… oh wait, it's a crab. Sorry, buddy! Ahh, perfect. I pick the white seashell, about the size of my palm, from the sand, and I look around to the never ending green surronding me. It's so peaceful down here; no Games, no Capitol, no people- occasionally a fish passes by, but that's all. I'm thinking I could live here forever when my lungs start begging for air (_why_ wasn't I born with gills and fins?), forcing me to return to the surface. I take a large gulp of air when my head rises above the waves, and I quickly begin swimming toward the beach. When I reach it, I step out of the water and shake my head: I have, more than once, become temporarily deaf due to water stuck inside my ears. Then I eye the evening sky sorrowfully, wishing I could go back in the water.

Every year, I spend the day before the reaping on the beach, fearing it might be my last chance to feel the sand between my toes, the sun on my skin and the smell of the waving ocean. But today I've come here with another purpose: my sister Marina is having a baby, and I want to get her a gift; it has to be ready before tomorrow, because what if happens I'm selected as a tribute? So I came here to get as many seashells I could to make her a wind chime, like Grandma taught me.

I feel my heart tighten up when I think of Grandma, and how she used to sit in the porch with Mags, telling stories and teaching me, Finnick and Annie new hitches and what to do with left over fishing lines and the shells we collected by the sea. Uncounsciously, I touch the necklace Grandma gave me, made with the brightest conch she had ever found. Everything's changed now. Finnick is always away, pleasing the masses at the Capitol; when he's home, he spends every second with Annie, so I barely ever see him. She remains the calm, sweet girl I've always known, but sometimes she just zones out, and other times she covers her ears and starts screaming like she's back in the arena, and it takes a lot of effort to get her back to reality when Finnick is not around. Grandma passed away in the year I turned 12, so she never got to attend my first reaping. And Mags hasn't spoken an understandable word ever since the day Grandma was gone.

I start walking up the path leading to Victor Village. I share a house with four of my older sisters (Marina has her own house now that she's married), the one Grandma left empty when she moved in with Mags, after my parents and Grandpa drowned in a vessel while fishing. As soon as Grandma died, the Capitol wanted us to leave the house, and if it wasn't for Finnick, we'd be much poorer than we are now. He pulled some strings and made sure that until I (the youngest) turned 18 we would have a place to live and an annual salary, as we were like sisters to him, and he couldn't bear to see us starve. That's why we're not underfed and none of us has ever needed to apply for a tessera.

We still trained, though. Even if we never intended to volunteer; we're not suicidal. But just in case one of us got reaped, at least we'd be prepared, unlike the kids from the poorer districts (we've been lucky, for now; none of us has ever been reaped). I see them sometimes on television, when everyone's forced to watch the Games. They're just skin and bones, and they're not able to stab anyone even when their lifes depend on it. And here I am, knowing how to use a knife, throw a trident, set up a trap and strangle someone with a piece of rope. All of this I learned while expecting a hot meal at the end of the day, and I still had enough money to worry about clothes and make-up. I feel bad for them, I really do. But there's nothing I can do to help them. It's not my fault if I was born in one of the wealthiest districts, and my grandmother was the victor in the 10th Hunger Games.

_But there's something I'm sure of_, I think when I reach the front door; _If I ever, by any chance, get chosen for the Hunger Games, I will do my best to come back home_.

_Marvel_

"So, son, are you ready for your big day tomorrow?"

We're having dinner, my last dinner in this house. My father is so proud of having a future victor for son that he seems to irradiate; I bet he's been bragging to all of his important friends for the last weeks about how I can hit a target with a spear from a distance of 18 yards (not that I haven't done the same). My mother is eating in silence, her eyes glued to her plate. She finally quit trying to dissuade me from volunteering as tribute, but I'm pretty sure she still has a lot to say on the matter.

"Sure, I can't wait," I reply. "I still feel like I should have trained more today, though." I cast a glance at Mom, but she doesn't look up.

"Don't be silly." Crystal is repeating her meal, as usual; I swear she eats more than I do. "You weren't training, you were showing off to your _friends_" She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, and I try to kick her under the table, but I hit James instead.

"Ouch! I didn't say anything!"

"Sorry, Jem" I reach for him and mess up his already shaggy hair.

"You should be!" he says hurtfully, "I'm just an innocent child!"

"Oh, what a tragedy!" I put my hand over my heart dramatically and take a deep breath. "I solemnly swear that from this day forward, I will never hit scrawny annoying little kids, such as yourself, ever again."

Mom's head darts up, and I drop my playful smile with the sudden realization of what I've just said. Of course I can't keep this promise. I will be forced to kill children the same size as Jem; some even smaller, as he has always been well fed, and the younger tributes from poor districts look like they're 10.

"I think I'll go to sleep now." Mom gets up and takes her plate to the kitchen, disappearing before any of us has a chance to say another word. We stand in silence for a moment, three sets of eyes on me. I'm so stupid.

"I have to get up early tomorrow," I mumble. "Good night." I leave the table and run upstairs to my room, ignoring the confused looks on their faces.

_Serena_

"I'm home!" I call from the door. I hear cheerful female voices coming from the living room, interspersed with a male one, so I deduce Marina must be visiting with her husband, Murphy. Naida, my second oldest sister, appears in the hallway and immediatly starts shooing me upstairs.

"What do you think you're doing? You're soaked! Go get a towel and put some pants on!" she hisses. I don't need to hear it a second time; Naida is kind of a neat freak, and I'd rather run naked across a crowded Capitol street than mess up her perfect shiny floor… again.

I enter my room, shutting the door behind me, and change from my dripping two-piece bathing suit to denim shorts and a white tunic. No shoes needed. Then I remember the wind chime, hidden inside my desk drawer- I open it, take it out along with a needle, and after poking holes in the seashells I collected today, I finish it.

Taking care not to slip on the footsteps I left when I came in, I go down the stairs and join my sisters and brother-in-law. Marina is sitting next to her husband on the couch, her big round belly revealing that she's due soon; I can hear Naida in the kitchen, probably washing the dishes; the twins are sitting by the table, tangling a fishnet (I swear that despite having lived with them all my life, I will never be able to tell Muriel and Athena apart without staring at them like an idiot for a minute), and Kailani is merrily chatting with Murphy about the possibility of catching a shark on one of her expeditions.

Marina turns her head and sees me. "Reena!" she tries to get up, but I get to her before she manages to do it.

"Don't be silly, Mars. You're the one that's pregnant," I say before placing a kiss on her cheek. I shake Murphy's right hand in my own, with the left one behind my back, hiding my gift. I take a step back and smile.

"What's this? What are you hiding? Did you spend your day on the beach looking for weird stuff again?" Marina is now trying to look at my back. I show her the wind chime.

"Nooo. I spent my day on the beach to finish this for you. I thought you could hang it over your baby's cradle."

"Oh, Reena" Her eyes are suddenly filled with tears. "Just like the ones Grandma used to make! It's beautiful."

"Thanks" I change my weight from one foot to the other; I'm not very comfortable with compliments.

"I just felt a kick!" Her face lights up in a smile as she looks at me. "The baby likes your gift!" She takes my hand and squeezes it. "I'm sure you'll be a great aunt, Serena."

I smile back at her, moved by her happiness; but why do I get the feeling that she's wrong?

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it ^^ Chapter 2 will come soon!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Serena_

_The waves hit the ship again and again, making it swing and flooding the deck; lightning strikes across the sky, revealing the look of horror on the girl's face. She's screaming, but no one can hear her over the increasing storm. The ship is sinking, and she's completely alone._

"_Mom! Dad!" She turns around, but no one answers. "Grandpa!" She runs to the side of the ship and looks over it, contemplating the possibility of simply jumping into the revolving ocean._

_Then she sees it. But it can't be… There's someone, a boy, staring back at her from underwater; the boat is now so close to submerge that she could touch him if she reached out her arm. "Help me!" she begs. He smiles broadily and takes her hand._

_The girl squeals for a moment before hitting the water; she tries to come back for air, but the grip around her wrist is too strong- he's pulling her to the depths and there's nothing she can do about it; she can't breathe. Then everything goes black._

It's still dark, but I can't sleep anymore. My back is drenched in sweat and I feel like I've been deprived of water for days. I tiptoe my way to the kitchen, trying not to wake anyone up, and pour myself a glass of cold water. Then I analyze what just happened in my head.

I have no idea why I had a nightmare about my parents and my grandfather. I was three when they died, so I barely even remember them, and the few dreams of them I've had since then usually involve scattered memories, like my first teddy bear, or Grandpa's sailor tales. I press the back of my hands against my eyes; there was something more about that dream, something important, but I can't recall it. Maybe if I don't think about it, it will somehow come back.

I go to the living room and turn on the TV; they're showing the ruins of District 13 _again. _We get the idea, it's gone. You're more powerful than us. I turn it off and sit on the couch, wondering what I'll do until dawn. After less than five minutes, I'm asleep.

_Marvel_

I wake up with the sunlight on my face; apparently I forgot to close the curtains when I came in last night. I sit down, absorbing the moment: it's the day of the reaping- my time to shine. To prove I'm not worthless. Dad will be so proud.

My new clothes are ready: a black suit with golden buttons, recently polished black dress shoes, a white shirt and a deep green tie that _really_ _brings out the colour of your eyes and the boogars in your nose, Marv_, according to Crystal.

I realize I'm the last one up when I get to the kitchen. Crystal is already stuffing her mouth with peanut butter toasts, risking to stain her white dress. Jem is eating cereal while gaping at the back of the box- why do people do that? - and Mom and Dad are drinking coffee. I have never seen Dad look happier, nor have I seen Mom look more desperate.

"There he is! Our future champion!" My father gets up and opens his arms, giving me a bear hug. He takes a step back so he can enjoy my appearance.

"Look at you, all fancy! Now listen to your old man: give those Capitol people your best smile and in no time all those powedered pink ladies will talk about is how _marvelous_ you are!" He bursts out laughing at his own cleverness, and I join him, because of course he's right. The cameras are going to love me. "Lacey! Lacey, look at your son." Dad is now behaving like a little kid in a candy shop- I wouldn't be surprised if he started jumping with excitement. Not that I blame him; I'm restraining myself from running around the house, screaming how awesome I am from the top of my lungs. I'm going to be a tribute, and I'm going to _win_.

My mother looks up from her coffee and cracks up a half-smile. "You look amazing, Marvy." My heart drops; she hasn't called me that since I was ten. I feel an urge to hug her, to assure her everything will be okay. Instead, I kiss her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom. See you later."

My mother looks concerned, like she has something she wants to tell me. "Aren't you going to eat anything?" she asks.

"I'll eat on my way, we're already late." I pick up a piece of toast, to emphasize what I said. "Come on, Crystal."

Crystal grabs a cookie from the jar before following me out of the house. The streets are already crowded- seeing as District 1 is one of the biggest, the town square is one of the largest too. However, it can only carry all the children between the ages of 12 and 18 (it's not that large, and there's an awful lot of us). The rest of the population has to resort to watch the reaping on the screen, whether it's at home- an exclusive benefit, since we're the Capitol's favourite district- or on the streets; most people prefer to watch it outside. I think it makes them feel connected to their neighbours, like they are silently giving support to each other.

"Excuse me… Excuse me…" I say as I make my way through the crowd.

"Make way, make way, suicidal big-headed brother coming through!" Crystal seems to be more efficient in pushing away the bodies blocking our path. We're almost there; I can already see the 12-year-olds line-up, on the farthest side from the stage. I feel a heavy hand land on my shoulder.

"Hey, man." My best friend, Flint, looks like he just got out of bed, and that's probably true; he doesn't care much about the reaping, as long as his name isn't drawn. Besides, he turned 18 last week, so this is his last time lining up, and he knows I'm volunteering; therefore he didn't even bother about dressing up for the cameras, judging from his black T-shirt and ripped jeans. A girl is watching him disapprovingly- she must be thinking she just spent her entire morning choosing that pink dress and fixing her hair, only to arrive here and be forced to stand next to a guy whose spiked hair hasn't seen a comb in days.

I almost feel ashamed of my neat appearance when I look at him; but Flint's family is different- they want him to follow his dreams, and they couldn't care less about not having a victor among them. As for Flint, his ultimate goal in life is to "form a rock band and make an impact on people with my music". Whatever _that_ is. Most likely, he read about it in some History book and thought it would bring him tons of girls or something; I still try to be as supportive as he is being now, with my decision of volunteering.

"The others are waiting for you," he tells me. "They want to see if you would be as prepped up as everyone said you would." Flint looks at me from head to toe and laughs."Seems they were right. Come on, princess."

I'm starting to regret my decision of wearing a tie until we reach our friends Jett, Eric and Jasper- with the exception of Flint, they're all wearing their best clothes. Jasper is wearing a _bow-tie. _And _I'm_ the one who's all prepped up?

I turn to Flint, feeling annoyed. "You said they had been making fun of me."

Bow-tie. Bow-tie. _Bow-tie_.

He shrugs. "I lied; you're all a bunch of princesses. Happy now, Marvy-Boy?"

I'm beginning to think Flint is the reason I'm able to put up with Crystal, since he can be even more unpleasant than her if he wants to, when a Peacekeeper appears and tells us we have to head for our respective areas; Flint heads to the front, along with Jett, to the 18-year-olds area, while Eric, Jasper and I join the other 17-year olds behind them. I look at the stage- as in any other district, there are two glass balls, one for the boys and one for the girls, and four chairs. One for the Mayor, one for our escort, Marcus Whitman- whose bald head is even more tattooed than last year – and two for this year's mentors, Gloss and Cashmere. Of course they aren't the only victors from District 1, but it would be a mess if there were seven mentors for only two tributes; so each year they assign a female and a male victor to teach the tributes how to survive in the arena.

The Mayor gets up and reads about the history of Panem (this is the only part Flint ever listens to; he's also the only one who does) and the list of past victors- Cashmere and Gloss try not to smile too much when their names are mentioned.

Marcus steps up to the podium and takes the Mayor's place. "Welcome citizens of District 1!" I can always tell how glad he is about being assigned to our district. "It is my pleasure today to select two of you to compete in the 74th annual Hunger Games. Now, ladies firs.t" He dives his hand in the thousands of slips inside the ball on his left.

"Glimmer Adams!" The girl in the pink dress I had seen earlier walks graciously towards the stage and joins Marcus. She shakes his hand and when the crowd starts applauding she just stands there and smiles beautifully, as if she was just announced Miss Panem. I must say I'm impressed.

"Now it's time to select District 1's male tribute! Ready, gentlemen?" Marcus takes a slip out of the ball by his right and reads Flint's name. There's a loud cheer; everyone knows Flint, and everyone loves him; and thanks to my bragging for the past weeks, not a single person here is worried that he might not come back from the Games. He hops onstage and asks a very surprised Marcus for his microphone.

Flint raises his free arm and shouts to the crowd "What's up, District 1?" I hope he doesn't start singing (I bet the Capitol would love that; they must be spilling their cocktails all over their expensive furniture by now); Glimmer's face has turned the same shade of pink as her dress, but her smile doesn't fade for a moment. I'm shaking with impatience; I have to wait for Marcus to ask if there are any volunteers before I can step in Flint's place. I don't have to wait long, though.

"I want to thank you, Mr. Whitman," Flint proceeds,"for this excelent opportunity. I'm going to spare you the effort of asking if there are any volunteers. Without any more delays, I give you… the sassiest princess to ever walk upon the earth! Ladies and gentlemen, Marvel Gould!"

This is not what I planned _at all_, but it will do. It's show time.

"I volunteer!"

_Serena_

"Serena, wake up! You're late!"

I open my eyes abruptly. I'm still lying on the couch, one of my arms hanging on the border. Muriel, or Athena- I can't tell; I just woke up- is staring at me with her blue eyes.

"Oh, crap." I'm usually a morning person, just not when I'm late. "What time is it?" I ask her.

"The reaping starts in half an hour" I feel my stomach turn when she says this. I run up the stairs, towards my room, where I keep my reaping clothes: a strapless navy blue dress, with a cream-coloured belt above the waist and white wedge sandals; I decide to let my almost waist-long brown hair loose; I don't have time to think of a hairdo. However, I put on some eyeliner.

"Reena!" Now it's Kailani's turn to call me. "Sally's here!"

"I'll be right down!" I shout back.

For twelve years, I've followed Grandma's advice of not getting too attached to people strictly; that's why I don't have many friends. But Sally's different- we connected the first time we laid eyes on each other, back when we were six; I was coloring- I still love to draw, but now I spend most of my time fishing or training- and she asked me if she could join. And since I haven't talked to either Finnick or Annie in months, I'm glad I met her.

I run down the stairs, holding my dress by the chestline to stop it from sliding off- very lady-like, I must say- to find Sally waiting for me at the door. She's wearing a grass-coloured sleeveless dress that goes perfectly with her hazel eyes.

"Sorry I'm late," I say. "Wow, you look amazing!"

"Thanks." She smiles. "You look amazing too, I love your dress."

"Yeah, but if I'm not careful I'll end up half-naked by the end of the day. Ugh, I can barely breathe."

I'm fooling around in an attempt to cover up up my discomfort; I can't shake off the feeling that this day will go terribly wrong. I hug Kailani. "See you at the reaping, sis," she says, while Sally and I step off to the street.

In District 4, unlike the other districts, the reaping is held on the beach; although the spirit of the reaping does not match the sparkly blue sea, the Capitol insists it's the ideal place for it to be held, so we have no choice but to follow their orders. At least it helps to fill our pockets- every year thousands of oddly-looking tourists visit our district because they "saw it on television and found it to be extremely beautiful".

"I shouldn't have brought these shoes." I complain as we move with difficulty across the sand. _At least_, I think bitterly, _if I get reaped they won't make me look so small_. I know what it's like in the Games- it's mostly a matter of size. Brains and skill take you nowhere in physical confrontation, and if you're on the tiny side like me, and you're from the wrong district, they will go after you first.

"Okay, here we are," Sally says cheerfully, when we finally manage to get to our designated area. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Oh, yes," I lie, "It's just the dress, it's too tight and I'm not used to it." I feel like I'm about to throw up.

I look to the stage, trying to focus on something else; the three chairs assigned to this year's mentors are already filled by Finnick, Brenna- a dark-haired woman in her 30s-, and Mags. Being the oldest victor alive in all of Panem, Mags acts as a mentor every year; she should be retired by now, but I think the Capitol felt District 4 wasn't cooperating with them when Annie was declared unable to guide tributes. So they invented this "old, wise mentor" thing to punish us, by forcing an elderly, practically mute woman to teach children and then watch them die year after year.

District 4's escort, Alida Cox, is hopping back and forth, alternately talking to the Mayor- already set by the podium- and Finnick; she's not much older than I am, maybe around nineteen or twenty (she must have friends in high places, because people this young are never assigned the best districts), and she has her turquoise blue hair in a braid that goes down to her ankles, revealing two angel wings tattooed on her back; apart from that, she doesn't look like she's from the Capitol.

The Mayor makes his usual speech- I've watched the reapings on television enough times to discover it's like that in every district- and finishes by saying he hopes this year's tributes will bring honor and prestige to District 4. He takes a step back from the podium and bows slightly as Alida flicks across the stage to take his place.

"Greetings to the good people of District 4! It's a wonderful day, don't you think? Oh, how I love the sea, the sun, the-" One of the men in the camera crew clears his throat and she seems to return to reality. "Oh, sorry. Shall we select our female tribute?"

Alida dives her hand in one of the balls placed on the stage, but before she takes out a slip, Finnick signals her and mouths "That's the boys' one!" She blushes, mumbles an apology and takes a slip out of the other ball.

"Serena Brooke!"

_She just said my name._ She just said my name! I stumble, feeling dizzy for a moment; Sally grabs my arm to stop me from falling. "I'm okay" I assure her. I take a deep breath and walk up to the stage- I swear even the seagulls are silent. Alida gives me a a clumsy hug; "There she is! Aren't you lovely?" Yes, I must look extremely lovely right now; I feel like all of my blood has drained from my face. I cast a glance at Finnick, my childhood friend- his face shows a mix of shock and grief.

"Now, now… Our male tribute…" Alida takes a slip out of the other ball. "David Rivers!"

"NO!" The blood-curdling scream comes from a woman standing next to the 13-year-olds area, as a boy not older than that age shakily walks to the stage to join me; he has curly red hair, blue eyes and his face is covered in freckles. He's adorable. The woman, who I presume is his mother, is now crying silently while the Peacekeepers push her away.

"Before I can officially anounce the tributes for this year's Hunger Games… is there anyone who would like to volunteer?" Alida asks.

Nothing. Not a single person. I understand that no one is volunteering for me; I'm seventeen, I'm a big girl now. But there are eighteen-year-old boys here twice my size that have trained _all their lives._ Then why aren't they volunteering for poor David, who hasn't even reached puberty yet?

"No one? Well then… representing District 4 in the 74th annual Hunger Games, Serena Brooke and David Rivers!"

I see my own fear reflected in David's eyes as I shake his hand; whether we like it or not, we're district partners and we're going into the arena.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Marvel_

"Alright, we've got ourselves a champion!" Marcus has recovered from Flint's surprising anouncement and is now back to his professional self. "Are you Marvel Gould?"

"Yes, I am," I answer proudly, "and I would like to volunteer as tribute." Flint high-fives me before jumping offstage, and I'm left side by side with Glimmer. I take a look at her- she's the typical upper-class, District 1 beauty: tall, blonde hair, emerald green eyes; we won't have any trouble in getting sponsors.

"Such a courageous young man." Marcus looks more satisfied than ever; we're putting on quite a show. "Is there anyone else who would like to volunteer besides Mr. Gould?"

Of course there isn't. I made sure every boy in the district knew I was going to volunteer, and that none of them would have the nerve to try and take my place; I even bribed or threatened the reluctant ones. As for the girls, Glimmer is giving them her best supermodel smile, but her eyes clearly state _Bitch, don't you dare steal my crown_. Apparently I'm not the only one looking forward to the Games and wanting to be the next victor.

"Alright then… our tributes from District 1, Glimmer Adams and Marvel Gould! Let's show them our support!"

As I greet Glimmer, the crowd bursts into loud applause; I don't think I'm imagining the male voices chanting "You go, Marvy-Boy!"

* * *

"Marv!" Jem runs into the room and jumps to my shoulders, forcing me to give him a piggyback ride- man, the kid is getting heavy. I have an hour to spend with my family and friends; for now, they've allowed my parents and my two siblings to keep me company, but once my friends arrive, they'll have to leave. I shake off the thought that this is the last time I'll ever see them. This is what I've always wanted, and I _will_ return.

"That's my boy! I knew you could pull it off!" Instead of hugging me, my father takes my hand and shakes it enthusiastically, and it is at this moment that I feel like I'm not a child anymore- I'm a man. However, that feeling only lasts until I see my mother. She's covering her eyes with her hands and is sobbing uncontrollably, her body shaking up and down.

"Mom." I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. "Mom," I repeat in a softer tone. "I will be alright. I'm ready for this, and I will be back home in no time. I promise." She's not capable of saying anything; she just holds me closer, as if I'm a baby again, despite being a head taller. I feel Crystal tugging on my shirt.

"I want to give you something." She's trying to act strong, but her bottom lip is trembling; she holds out a golden bracelet, that I recognize as being hers, and says "I thought you would like to have a token. I'm sorry it looks so girly, but it's my favorite."

"Don't be silly, Crys." I take her gift and put it around my wrist; it's staying there, no matter what. "I love it, thanks." She gives me a quick hug and regains her composure.

"I have a present too!" Jem gives me a piece of paper folded in four. It's a drawing of our family; I'm holding a spear, and underneath it's written, in his messy handwriting, "From: James To: World's greatest big brother". I can't help but smile.

"Seems like we have an artist in the family!" I praise. "Thanks, kid." He takes a step back, looking pleased.

A Peacekeeper appears at the door, telling us my friends are here and my family must leave. My father, Crystal and Jem pass the door, waving at me, and my mother hugs me one last time. "Good luck." And then she's gone.

"MOSH PIT!" I have a second to process what's about to happen before I'm surronded by Flint, Jett, Jasper and Eric, who start patting me on the back- hard-, shoving me around and throwing themselves against each other- but especially against me; I end up lying flat on my back on the floor.

"Nuh-uh, that way you won't last a day in the arena, princess," Flint says scornfully as Jett helps me get up.

"Stop calling me that."

"Fine. I think after today I might as well call you 'My Queen'. Princesses don't go around volunteering for the Games."

"Nice bracelet, by the way," Jasper adds.

I give him an icy stare. "You're one to talk, Mr. Bow-tie."

"So… What happens next?" Eric asks. "How are you planning to win?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'll join the stronger tributes, exterminate the weak ones and then I'll slay whoever's left." It always goes like this; everyone fears Districts 1, 2 and 4 (they call us Career Tributes), and they have their reasons. I heard they train even harder than us in District 2, and District 4 is known for making quick, silent kills. I turn back to Eric, who's still talking.

"Man, I wish I was in your place. That Glimmer is one fine piece of a-"

"_Stop it,_" I warn him. "Stop it right there. You know I might have to kill her, right?"

"Yes, but before that you could _spear _her, if you know what I m-"

Flint frowns and smacks Eric on the back of his head. "Eric, do us all a favor and shut the hell up. Go take a cold shower or something." I give Flint a thankful look. It's not that I don't find Glimmer attractive, but there are plenty of girls in District 1 who look pretty much like her; and thinking of her as a potential romantic partner definitely does not help my case. Actually, thinking of _any_ girl I might meet in the near future in a romantic way is not a good idea.

The Peacekeeper interrups my thought by telling us my hour is over. My friends leave one by one, wishing me good luck; Flint is the last one, and he turns to me when he's already by the door.

"See ya, Marvy-Boy."

_Serena_

Okay. Keep calm. You've trained all your life. You've been using knives and tridents since you were a child. You're a _Career Tribute_, damn it! I sigh; it's not that simple. What if they don't accept me? What if they think David's too young and we're not worth of being their allies? Joining the tributes from Districts 1 and 2 is our only chance to survive. Then I remember they don't have a lot to choose from; I feel a little better- it's not like they are going to join District 12 instead, just because we're a bit shorter than the average District 4 tribute.

I'm alone in a room, waiting for my family to arrive. For some unknown reason, they don't allow family and friends together- this means Sally will likely get in here alone, and then my family of five- six, if we count Murphy- will burst in at the same time.

The door opens, and a girl enters quietly. I was expecting Sally, but it's not her- it's someone I haven't seen in a long time.

"Annie!" I forget about my current situation and rush to hug her. She looks a lot better than the last time I saw her; only a bit sad. I have never fully understood her sorrow, but now I'm about to find out what it's like; that is, if I survive.

"Oh, Reena, I can't believe this is happening. First Finnick, then me and now you! Do you think they did it on purpose?"

It's perfectly possible. The granddaughter of one of the girls from "The Miracle of District 4", and childhood friend of two past victors? I'm surprised this didn't happen earlier, now that I think about it.

"I don't know." I smile. "I'm glad you came. I haven't seen you in _ages_!"

She smiles too. "It hasn't been that long!" Her face suddenly turns serious. "Listen: you can't show weakness. Act as if you're just as blood-thirsty as the others, and they will certainly take you as their ally. And Finnick promised me he would take care of you."

"Thanks, Annie." Her advice is particularly precious to me because I can see the pain talking about the Games causes her; I wonder how much effort it took her to pull herself together and come here to say goodbye.

I can already hear voices coming from behind the door, which means my sisters are coming.

"I must go now," Annie says, with a sad grin upon her face. "You need to spend time with your family." She leaves just as a very surprised Naida opens the door.

"Was that- Never mind." My other sisters are behind her, complaining that she's blocking the door, and they stumble in when she steps aside. Somehow Sally has managed to trick the Peacekeepers into letting her get in. She runs towards me, wraps her arms around my shoulders and almost crushes my bones.

"How did you-?" I ask her when she finally lets go.

"You know, it doesn't take a lot of effort to convince someone you have another sister. No offense." I can't help but laugh; these are my last moments of normality, and I want to seize them the best I can.

"Serena," Marina seems even bigger than yesterday, and she's leaning against Murphy for support; she puts her hand on her belly. "You _have _to come back! You have to meet your nephew!"

_If only it was up to me_.

"Promise us," Athena begs- I know she's Athena because she has an "A" pin on her dress. "That you will do whatever it takes to come back to us."

"Yes," Muriel adds, "remember what Grandma taught you. Do not let anything stop you; there's nothing more important than your family."

Jeez. I get the picture! Stab, stab, stab. Kill, kill, kill. That's all I'll be doing in a few days. Is it too much for me to ask not to be reminded of that?

"Let the girl breathe!" Kailani looks concerned. "We came as fast as we could; I'm sorry we don't have a token to give you."

"It's okay," I assure her, "I have Grandma's necklace. It will remind me of home."

I notice Marina and Murphy are whispering; from the look on their faces, I deduce it's something serious. They both turn to me.

"There's something we want to ask you," Marina starts. "If-"

"When," Murphy corrects her, "When you come back from the Games, would you like to be our son's godmother?"

I feel my eyes sting; chances are I'll never meet their baby, and here they are, asking me to be the godmother. "Yes," I answer; I'm not capable of saying anything else.

The eight of us spend the rest of the time in silence, holding on to each other. Then, two Peacekeepers come to escort me to the train station, and I only have time to wave goodbye before they push me into a car.

* * *

When we get to the train station, the place is already swarming with cameras. Finnick puts a protective arm around my shoulders, and when the reporters go crazy about it and ask him if I'm his current fling, he answers "No; Serena is like my little sister. That's why this year I'll make an extra effort in being the best mentor possible."

I try to look pleasant, but I must look like I just ate rotten fish. Finally, Finnick takes me inside, and I watch District 4 disappear through the window as the train starts moving.

_Marvel_

It doesn't take me very long to find out Glimmer's status is way above mine; her parents own the largest vineyard in Panem, and they're constantly praised in the Capitol because of that. She's obviously daddy's little girl, and I have no idea why she is so keen on taking part in the Games. She's not stuck-up, though; she's extremely polite and relatively friendly- given the circumstances-, and we made quite an impression in front of the cameras. However, she's keeping all the attention focused on her: both Marcus and Gloss are practically drooling over her, and I think Cashmere is seeing a reflection of her younger self, because she won't stop asking questions and giving her advice. We're about to watch the recap of the reapings; I'll probably only care for the potential Careers and take a nap during the rest.

The program starts with Flint's little stunt; the comentators find it to be "hilarious and refreshing". The girl from District 2 is definitely going to be a useful ally- she appears to be strong, and her presence yells "Don't mess with me". I widen my eyes when I see the male tribute, who volunteers promptly: I've always been proud of my tall stature and atletic frame, but this guy makes me look like a little kid.

"What the-" I can't hide my indignation when I look at District 4's tributes. The boy is still a child, and his mother has to be dragged away because she's crying so much; the girl is even tinier, and looks like she's about to faint. She's pretty, though; I have to hand it to her. She wouldn't have gone unnoticed to me in that dress, had she lived in District 1.

This remembers me of Eric and his innapropriate remarks, so I try to re-focus on the program; I don't pay much attention to the other tributes, except for the male tribute from 11- he's larger than the one from District 2 (is that even possible?) - and the girl from 12, whose older sister goes completely bonkers and steps in her place before she even manages to get to the stage. I see Effie Trinket, with her emerald ring- I look away quickly, as it reminds me of my mother crying- and Haymitch Abernathy, the man that killed my aunt, who is completely wasted and ends up falling off from the stage. Pathetic.

"We're almost there," Marcus announces, when the program ends. It was a two-hour ride, since District 1 is so close to the Capitol; Glimmer and I will be lodged in the Training Center until all the tributes have arrived (most likely by tomorrow morning), and then we will be transferred to the Remake Center to meet our stylists and prep teams.

The train is now stopping; I can see bizarre-looking people gaping at us and cheering when they recognize us as the tributes from their favorite district.

"Smile," Gloss orders unpleasantly as the doors open.

_Serena_

"You better pay attention to this," Brenna warns us, "Take a good look at your competition; search for potential allies aside from Districts 1 and 2."

"Okay," I say as she turns on the television so we can watch the recap of the reapings. David hasn't spoken a word yet (is he… _afraid_ of me?) and is curled up on the couch, staring blankly at Mags while she eats hazel nuts from a bowl.

"Holy-" Finnick bursts out laughing as soon as the program begins, and when I look at the screen I can't help but join him; the boy who gets reaped takes the microphone from their escort and starts acting like he's in a concert and the people watching are his fans. He ends up calling his friend- "the sassiest princess to ever walk upon the earth"- a blonde, green-eyed boy who volunteers and walks cockily to the stage. I snort when they high-five each other- people in District 1 can be so strange sometimes -I _swear_ I just saw a guy in the audience wearing a bow-tie! The girl tribute is gorgeous; if my physical appearance was ever going to bring me an advantage, I just lost it.

I make an effort not to shiver at the sight of District 2's tributes; it's obvious who is going to be the leader of the Career pack this year. I'd rather team up with District 3- they know how to use their heads. One time, before training, I watched a re-run of an edition of the Games where the male tribute from District 3 killed all of the other remaining tributes at once by electrocuting them.

I focus my attention back on the screen. They're now showing my face after being reaped: I was right about not looking lovely- my usually tanned skin was as white as paper, and so was David's.

I'm so tired that I only catch glimpses of the remaining reapings, but I do notice one thing- every time Finnick makes a remark, Alida giggles. Maybe that explains her behavior this morning… well, that and the fact that she has her head stuck in the clouds. Suddenly, she covers her mouth with her hand, gawking at the television. I follow her gaze.

"Oh my God." The male tribute from District 11 is about twice my size, but that's not what's keeping us in shock. Next to him stands a girl, who must be 12 years old, but looks like she's 10. How could this happen? Children this young are never- _well, almost never_ I think, eyeing David- selected; their name is only entered once, unless they have a bunch of siblings and apply for tesserae, if they are poor.

My stomach jumps when I see another 12-year-old girl, very similar to the other in size, being reaped in District 12; however, her sister bursts from the crowd and volunteers to go in her place. The pink-haired woman hosting the event asks for her name: _Katniss Everdeen_. There is no applauding, despite the escort's request; instead, each and every person standing in front of the stage silently does a three-fingered gesture that I suppose is a salute.

"Poor Haymitch," I hear Finnick mutter, as they cut to footage of the only District 12 mentor drunkily falling off the stage. Then, a boy named Peeta Mellark is called; he shakes hands with Katniss, and the program finishes with the anthem.

We'll arrive the Capitol in about three hours (we're expecting a real flood of reporters, especially because we're in the presence of the great Finnick Odair), but I'm not sleepy anymore. I'm wondering if any of my sisters would have volunteered for me today if they were still eligible, just like that girl did.

* * *

**Woow, thank you so much for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me :D **

**Sorry for not uploading as often as I should, but I was kind of busy this week... but maybe I'll upload Chapter 4 later!**

**I'm so happy that you're liking it ^^**


	5. Chapter 4

**Here it is, just as promised!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Marvel_

Damn, it's freezing. I wonder if I can put on my robe.

It has been three hours since Marcus woke me up at the Training Center and brought me here. My prep team consists of Dabria, Spica and Juno, three young women with matching blood-red wigs who burst into hysterical laughter as soon as I took off my clothes; they must be new. They kept making remarks on how _toned_ I am, and how they had never seen abs like these; I love having admirers, but I started to get uncomfortable after a while and I'm glad I got rid of them- for now.

Okay, I quit. I'm putting it on. My stylist, whoever he or she might be, is late. Just as I'm about to sit down, the door opens to reveal another woman- this one has purple hair and bright orange skin, and all the surgery can't hide that she's older- who steps in confidently. I grit my teeth; it's like the Capitol is trying their best to keep me uneasy by sending a bunch of over-excited women to help me get ready for the Games.

However, she just looks coldly at me from head to toe, and if she is bothered by the fact most of my body is now covered, she doesn't say it. She just sighs and lets out a "Oh well, it will do."

_It will do?_ I understand she's used to design for some of the best-looking tributes- District 1 is pretty much all about appearance- but I'm not ugly! Dabria, Spica and Juno seemed quite impressed.

"My name is Zama," she finally says after circling around me several times. "And you must be Marshall."

"Marvel," I blurt out; she's starting to get on my nerves. "Marvel Gould."

I detect a glint of amusement in her yellow eyes. "Whatever. So… District 1. I know exactly what to do with you and your beautiful partner."

"I thought she had her own stylist… miss."

She waves her hand with impatience. "Don't be foolish, you need matching outfits. You'll be ahead of the parade, so you will have to shine! We're thinking of silver spray-paint and tunics."

She claps her hands and an Avox brings my outfit: a classical tunic, similar to the ones depicted in Flint's books, decorated with jewels, and a golden laurel wreath. I'm not sure if I like it, but I can't complain; the Capitol owns me now.

_Serena_

"Wow, you almost don't need shaving! We're impressed!"

Of course I don't; a lot of people in District 4 shave at least their legs if they can afford it- it helps us swim faster.

Luvena, the only woman in my prep team, helps me sit down so she can brush my long hair while Pascal and Brencis take care of my nails. It doesn't take long, and after twenty minutes I'm left alone in a room so I can wait for my stylist to arrive. I'm everything but comfortable about the fact that I'm not wearing any clothes, but at least my hair covers up something.

A man with turquoise blue hair- he could be Alida's twin brother- enters the room with dancey steps. "You can get dressed, Serena." I'm surprised by his familiarity, but I don't mind it; he hasn't made any depreciative comments, and that's a good sign. He shakes my hand.

"I'm Felix, by the way. Please, have a seat." I do as he says, and sit on a velvet blue couch. "So… Serena. Such a beautiful name. Did you know it means 'mermaid'?"

Wrong. _Sirena_ means "mermaid". But Grandma used to make a joke out of it and said they had mixed the letters in my name, and that I was "her little mermaid"

"No. That's wonderful," I say, smiling pleasantly; I don't want to spoil his happiness.

"Well, you do now. What's your opinion about them?"

"I beg your pardon?" I'm not following his logic. What does this have to do with my outfit?

"Mermaids! Your opinion about mermaids."

"Oh… I think they're… nice. Why?"

This is another lie. As silly as it might sound, every time Grandma read me the story of the girl who traded her fins for legs, I would run down to the beach and pretend I was her.

"Because," Felix is about to blow up with excitement "You're going to be one."

* * *

This is not exactly how I thought my dream would come true; don't get me wrong, my outfit is gorgeous- a sparkly blue shell bra and a matching fishtail. But that's the problem, it is an _actual_ fishtail, not some tight long skirt with scales on it, so I can't move my legs; Finnick has to carry me around as if I'm a baby. Thank goodness we don't have to walk in the Tribute Parade- that would be embarassing.

I'm sitting on the chariot- which has been decorated to resemble Neptune's- waiting for David, who appears after two minutes, wearing nothing but a pair of pants of the same fabric as my fishtail and carrying a trident.

"Hey," I shout indignantly, "Why does he get to wear pants?"

"He will be standing up," explains Felix, "You will be sitting down, like you're a pearl and the chariot is your oyster. You must not stand up!"

I stare at him, not believing what I just heard. Does he really think I can stand in this thing?

David joins me in the chariot, stumbling a little in the process because of his trident; I help him regain his balance, risking to lose mine, and he stammers "Thanks." He seems to think for a moment and adds, "You look really pretty." His words make me smile; this is the first time he has ever spoken to me.

"Why, thank you," I reply, "You look handsome too, you little god of the sea."

The opening music starts; we will ride into the city by order of districts. I can already see the tributes from District 1 glittering in their silver outfits; they're quickly followed by District 2, whose tributes are dressed as warriors. Finally, when the lamp-covered District 3 is almost out of sight, Felix signals us, and our horses (I can't tell if they've been spray-painted or genetically modified to look like seahorses) start moving. It's our time to please the crowd.

_Marvel_

The level of noise increases as soon as we become visible- we're from their favourite district, and I know I look amazing; I put on my most charming grin and wave at the masses of people on both my sides. I can hear most of the younger girls- and some older women, too- squealing and whistling.

_Ha. Take that, Zama_.

I end up giving in to my curiosity about the other tributes' appearance, so I look up at the screens: the boy and the girl from District 2 seem even more threatening than they did at the reaping, with their golden armors and black face paint; the tributes from District 3 look like a couple of Christmas trees covered in colourful tiny lamps; District 4…

_Why, hello there_.

The girl I noticed yesterday, the one in the blue dress, is now wearing a very revealing mermaid outfit, and smiling and waving at the crowd; all the signs of her previous daintiness are gone.

I'm still appreciating her, erm… _shells, _when the shouts change: suddenly, the crowd starts chanting "District twelve!" _Impossible_. They can't be cheering for those guys!

And then I see them: the flames over the last chariot. They set the tributes on fire? And they're holding hands! The audience is going crazy, throwing them flowers and shouting "Peeta" and "Katniss" (the names people in District 12 give their children are so ridiculous).

I can't believe I put up with Zama to be outshone by a girl from the Seam and her little friend; but I have to keep smiling. Surely the people were just impressed by their innovative outfits. But as we reach the City Circle and our chariot stops, it becomes pretty obvious who the stars of the evening are- and it's not me and Glimmer. While President Snow is giving us his welcome speech, District 12's tributes are practically the only ones getting airtime. We were completely eclipsed.

* * *

I fight the urge to push my prep team aside when they rush to me; I feel betrayed- all those hours listening to their boring empty conversations for _nothing-_ and I'm not really in the mood to hear about how good my arms, my hair, or whatever, looked.

Katniss and Peeta are being congratulated by their prep teams, and I can't help but shoot them a dirty look; I notice I'm not the only one. Mermaid-girl seems pretty annoyed too, although maybe that's due to the fact that she can't walk and has to be carried around. Finnick Odair has just pulled her from the chariot and is now holding her in his arms- lucky guy- and taking her to the elevator. I decide to follow them; I just want to take a closer look.

Once inside the elevator, I get the chance to observe her- she's not conventionally beautiful, like Glimmer: she has the darkest eyes I've ever seen, and her long hair falls in deep brown locks down her back.

Her eyes meet mine. _Busted_. She blushes, probably thinking I'm mocking her, and says "You can put me down now, Fin." _Fin? _What the hell is this?

"What? Are you planning on rolling around on the floor?" he teases.

"No, it's just-" She doesn't finish her sentence, eyeing me. "Never mind."

Finnick follows her gaze, and his smile fades when he sees it was me she was staring at. Luckily, the elevator is filled with more tributes, including Glimmer, before he can say anything; starting a fight with Finnick Odair wouldn't be a very good idea.

"Oh, here you are," says Glimmer as the doors close behind her "I was wondering where you had gone to. Gloss and Cashmere are expecting us."

"Okay." Thank God our quarters are on the first floor. Even so, the elevator ride seems to last forever.

Polite as always, Glimmer wishes the other tributes a good evening, and I follow her out towards the hall; I can still feel those black eyes on me long after the doors close.

_Serena_

God, I hate that elevator. I don't like confined spaces or heights, and that thing, with its crystal walls, is the perfect combination of the two. And that boy only made it worse by staring at me like that, as if I'm a delicate porcelain doll. Finnick didn't help either when he pulled that "protective older brother" attitude; now it will take me twice as much effort to convince everyone I'm a worthy oponent.

Suddenly I remember that the boy observing me was from District 1; what if he tells the others I'm depending on Finnick's protection and I'm out of the Career pack?

Finnick interrupts my thoughts by opening the door leading to my room and laying me on the bed. He takes a step back and seems to struggle with something; then he blurts out "Who was that?"

I turn to him, surprised by the hint of annoyance in his voice. "I have no idea."

"He couldn't keep his eyes off you."

"Well… I was wearing a sparkly fishtail and you were carrying me. Pretty much anyone would have done the same." _What's his point?_

"He was looking at you like you were a piece of meat."

Oh. _That's_ his problem.

"Fin," I start laughing; this is just too absurd. "Just because you hold as many romantic feelings for me as you do for Mags, it doesn't mean all boys are like you. I know you haven't noticed, but I'm kind of half naked."

"Oh," he frowns. "You're right. But I still didn't like it. Annie made me assure her I would keep you out of trouble, and even if she hadn't, it would still be my intention to protect you; I'm not acting for the cameras when I say you're the little sister I never had. Now promise me you will stay away from him until you get to the arena."

"Fine, _Dad._"

He chuckles and attempts to mess my hair. "That's my Reena. Now go get dressed, it's time for dinner."

Once he leaves, I take off my fishtail- _freedom!_- and, finally able to move my legs, I take a shower.

As I'm walking to the dining room in a new pair of jeans and a black top, I think about how ridiculously persistent Finnick was being, and how there was absolutely no need for it.

_Marvel_

"I have never been more ashamed in my life! Outstaged by _District 12_?_"_

Gloss is having a major diva meltdown because for once his tributes weren't the stars of the evening; Cashmere seems pretty peeved as well, and she will probably give Glimmer an intensive make-up tutorial as soon as I leave, like it's her fault people liked Katniss Everdeen better.

"Oh, come on," Marcus says tentatively "It's not like they were booed! And we still have the training scores and the interviews."

Gloss breathes in sharply, visibly holding his tongue; he may be able to speak to us however he wants to, but Marcus is still above him.

"You can go have a shower," says Cashmere, sensing the danger; all her annoyance disappeared the moment Marcus mentioned the training scores and the interviews.

We don't have to hear it a second time; before any of them change their minds, we turn around and head to our rooms. It takes me half an hour to remove all of the spray-paint from my body and hair, and I think I'm still a bit silver-ish, even after that, as I look in the mirror. When I step into the room to get dressed, I realize I'm not alone.

Glimmer is sitting on my bed with her arms folded, fully dressed and with no trace of silver on her face.

"How did you-?" I ask her.

"There's a button," she replies simply. She seems to be oblivious to the fact that I'm wearing nothing but a towel.

_Thank goodness Eric's not here._

"Oh," I feel stupid. "I… I only bothered about the hot water one."

"So it would seem." Her icy glaze doesn't leave my eyes for a second. "I saw you, you know?"

"Doing what?" I ask innocently.

"Looking at that girl," she spits out. "The one in the fishtail. And it wasn't only in the elevator; you were looking at her at the parade too, don't think I didn't notice."

"So?"

"_So_?" She's starting to lose her composure, something I thought was impossible. "So, you're a tribute! She's a tribute! You're set to kill each other!"

"Must I remind you," I say scornfully, "That you're a tribute as well, and I'm set to kill you too?"

"We're from the same district, you idiot. It doesn't matter if it's me who wins or you, all that matters is giving District 1 another victor."

"Speak for yourself, I plan on staying alive."

"Good. Remember that when you're about to kill her."

She walks out, slamming the door behind her and leaving me completely puzzled. What the hell just happened?


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Serena_

"Wake up dear, it's time to train."

Alida's voice drags me out of my sleep. Ugh, why can't I sleep for five more minutes? I was perfectly fine, dreaming about green eyes, and… _Crap_.

I suddenly open my eyes- why am I always late?- to find Alida by my bed, wearing hair rollers on her long mane, and a green paste on her face.

"AHHH!" I shriek; I wasn't expecting this. "What is _that_?"

"This? Oh, it's just an algae beauty mask," she answers cheerfully.

"Did you let Finnick see you like that?"

"Why of course, I just woke him u-" She blinks, her mouth half-open. "OH NO! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT!"

So apparently my suspicions about Alida's feelings for Finnick were correct; perhaps I should tell her about Annie so she doesn't get her hopes up, but not right now. She's completely freaking out.

"Hey, hey, keep calm! He's seen worse!"

Despite my soothing words, she runs to her bathroom and only leaves when she's back to her usual self. While she's taking all that goo off her face, I take a shower and get dressed: tight black pants, a large blue- Felix has a thing about blue- sweater and leather combat boots.

Then I join the others in the dining room; Mags, Brenna and Finnick are already eating, but I don't see David anywhere. Brenna seems to realize my confusion, because she says "David will go later. For now, we'd like to have a word with you. Please, sit down."

I do as she says, staring at my three mentors: Brenna stares back calmly, as usual; Mags is silent but attentive, and Finnick looks sheepish- that's when I get the feeling I'm not going to like what they have to say.

"Finnick told us what happened yesterday," Brenna starts, "With the District 1 boy."

I shoot Finnick an accusing look; jeez, it's not like that guy grabbed me and took my innocence!

"Please, Reena, don't be mad." He gives me the smile he saves for the cameras, but I've seen him use it countless times to get extra candy from the shop back home, and he can't fool me. "I was worried, so I might have been overprotective, but Mags and Brenna made me reconsider. I can't expect you not to have contact with the other tributes before the Games if I want them to be your allies. I just want you to be careful."

Through the corner of my eye, I can see Mags is paying close attention; I know she's thinking of that day, so many years ago, when I ran crying to Grandma. _We must be very careful about who we get attached to. If you start loving the wrong person, you might end up hurt. Do you understand me?_ I shake off the thought that I'm doing exactly what she warned me about- I don't even know his name.

I finish my breakfast and get up; Finnick does the same and asks "Shall we go?" He reachs out his arm so I can take it and leads me towards the elevator.

"I thought the mentors weren't supposed to go with us," I say as we wait for the doors to open.

His eyes darken for a second. "We aren't. I'm… meeting someone."

I can tell there's something more to it, but I only ask, "Is it something I should worry about?"

His expression softens, and he caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. "No, Reena, you don't have to worry about it- at least for now."

The elevator doors open, revealing that there are only two people inside- the tiny tribute girl from District 11 and her gigantic partner. All of us remain silent, and when we hit the first floor who else would enter but the boy who caused so much trouble between me and Finnick?

"There he goes again," Finnick whispers in my ear. I can feel my face turn red as I realize he's right; the other boy is glancing at me from the corner of his eye. Finnick pinches my arm jokingly and adds, still out of hearing range, "Oooh, and you think he's cute too! Reena's got a crush!"

"Stop it, Fin," I say, louder than I intended to, earning glances from the other tributes. The little girl is staring at me wide-eyed; I want to squish her, but I can't afford to show such weakness, so I have to ignore her.

"Don't try to deny it, I've known you since you were in diapers."

The door opens, and Finnick heads to the exit, while I go down another floor and walk towards the gym behind the District 11 boy. However, I catch a glimpse of blue light through a door on my left. Making sure no one is watching- I don't even think about the cameras anymore- I peek, and I see the first really wonderful thing this place has to offer- it's a swimming pool. I don't know why it's here- I never heard about the tributes learning how to swim; that's exactly what brought Annie her victory. Perhaps this place is used as a fancy gym, or a spa, when it's not Games season. But what I really care about is: how will I get there?

_Marvel_

Curse that Odair guy. I was actually planning on following Glimmer's, uh… advice and stay away from mermaid-girl, until I saw her taking his arm. I stared at her on purpose, hoping it would piss him off, but he just laughed at me instead. And whatever it was that he told her, it made her blush and start with that _Fin_ crap again.

We can't start training until ten, but more than half of the tributes are already here. I observe the numbers placed on their shirts: I notice that the District 10 boy is crippled- he won't be much of a threat- and then my eyes fall on the girl from District 11; I recall her being in the elevator earlier, but I didn't pay much attention then. I realize with a shock that she's smaller than James, despite being at least four years older.

_I solemnly swear that from this day forward, I will never hit scrawny annoying little kids, such as yourself, ever again._I look away, deciding in that moment I'll try my best to stay clear from her; she probably won't survive the bloodbath, and if by any chance she does, I won't look for her. _Let someone else do the dirty job_.

The boy from District 2, along with his partner, interrupts my thoughts by walking towards me and reaching out his hand; I hesitate, but I end up shaking it.

"I'm Cato," he says, "And this is Clove."

"Marvel," I reply. I get the feeling this guy just declared himself leader of the Career pack. He's not being openly threatening or unfriendly, but I can tell from the way he's standing that he knows he's stronger than me and is willing to use that advantage.

"It's great to know we're not the only volunteers here," adds Clove, "Are you any good?"

"I can throw a spear from a distance of 18 yards," I inform proudly; I want them to know who they're dealing with.

"Excelent," says Cato, "Look, we're still unsure about District 4 there." He tilts his head towards mermaid-girl and her partner, who has just arrived and is looking particularly juvenile today, with his curly hair in a mess and his freckles standing out over his pale skin.

_Another one I'll have to avoid_, I think bitterly.

"Brutus said that the girl's grandmother won the 10th Hunger Games," Clove snorts, "I bet she's trying to follow her footsteps and make Granny proud."

"Anyway," Cato interrupts, "Don't talk to them until we say so, okay? Oh, and tell that hot district partner of yours to do the same." Clove turns red at his last remark, but remains silent and he doesn't notice.

"Fine," I say. They seem pleased and walk away, so they can speak to the boy from District 11; from the way he looks at them, I'd say he's not keen on joining us.

I'm not sure what to think about Cato and Clove; they're just like me: they trained all their lives, waiting for their chance to volunteer, and they want to win at any cost- even if that means breaking the traditional alliance with District 4. On the other hand, their self-proclaimed leadership and the way Clove talked about mermaid-girl really pissed me off. What if she actually is the granddaughter of a victor? She has more experience than all of us brought together then, but they still laughed at her.

_Yeah, keep telling yourself that's the problem._

The tributes from District 12 are the last ones to arrive; they're wearing matching outfits _again_. What are they, twins? Mermaid-girl is staring at them with a neutral expression, but her arms are crossed and she's raised one of her eyebrows. I mentally thank Zama for the fact that my white t-shirt and black pants do not, in any way, match Glimmer's outfit. Her stylist thought it would be a good idea to put her in a shimmering tank top and tight shorts, and now pretty much every male in this room has their eyes set on her; Cato happens not to be one of them- he's distracted, looking at the weapons in display- but Clove still seems annoyed.

Atala, the head trainer, welcomes us and then reads the list of stations we can choose from; however, I'm only interested in the fighting techniques and weaponry ones. I'm disappointed to hear we're forbidden to engage in combat exercises with another tribute- I was looking forward to test if Cato is really all that great.

As soon as we're allowed to start training, I head for the spears: I'm finally getting the chance to prove my superiority. I choose one, stepping back what I believe is a distance of 20 yards from the target, and throw it.

_Right in the heart_.

I straighten up, glancing around to make sure everyone saw that. Mermaid-girl seems interested- though not impressed- for a moment, focusing back right away on the dummy she's practising her trident skills with. What happens next is so quick I'm not sure how I managed to see it- she plunges the trident in the dummy's chest, and pins it to the ground with a twist of her wrists; then she takes two knives out of nowhere and cuts it in three, ripping out its arms. She seems pleased with herself and grabs an axe, walking away to get another dummy.

I must say I wasn't expecting this. While I'm still recovering from the surprise, her district partner joins me in the spears station. He's carrying a bunch of bags that he proceeds to spread around him on the floor. In a matter of seconds he manages to pierce all of the bags, and their contents are now spilled all over the ground.

I cast a glance at Cato and Clove; they're trying their best to hide the fact that they were caught off-guard, but they are not succeeding. Apparently District 4 has a lot more to offer than we believed.

_Serena_

I never thought it would feel this good to make someone regret their actions. Did they really think I wouldn't notice that they invited the boy from District 11- his name's Thresh, according to Brenna- to join the Careers, ignoring me and David? They even spoke to District 1's female tribute, and she's actually not that useful, unless they are looking for sponsors: I saw her trying archery, and she almost missed the target, but she kept going despite not having gotten any better. At least _I_ know I suck at using a bow.

The looks on the boy from District 1 and both the tributes from District 2's faces when I dismembered that dummy were priceless; I had never really done that before, but I've spent most of my life fishing and cutting fish open when helping my sisters at the market, so why would a dummy be any different?

_Or a person_.

David did a pretty good job too, at wiping the cocky grin off that boy's face by using his signature weapon in a way I bet he doesn't see very often- only someone who has spent their life by the sea knows how to use a spear like that.

I'm getting tired; maybe I should visit another station. Trying to learn new knots and hooks is pointless- Grandma and Mags taught me every single one they knew, so that station has nothing to offer me. I give up learning camouflage techniques- at least for now- as soon as I see that Katniss and her partner, Peeta, are already there. He seems to be enjoying himself, painting his arm, and I hear him saying something about baking cakes. I walk away, biting my lip- it has just occured to me that in other circumstances I could be making friends here- I had to restrain myself from asking Peeta if he likes to paint too-, but I'm getting ready to kill them instead.

_Don't get attached to anyone. You already worry too much about David_, I tell myself as I grab a sword and feel its weight.

* * *

The boy from District 2 raises his hand and signals me. _Finally_. I thought he was going to leave me standing here like an idiot with my plate in my hands. "Let's go," I say, turning to David; we walk up to the other Careers- they didn't say anything about him, but if I'm allowed to join, so is he.

I hear Annie's words echoing in my head: I have to pretend to be like them; I have to act as if being here is a dream come true. I smile in a way I hope makes me look arrogant and sit between the other two girls, right in front of the leader, while David sits by his left. I notice the other boy is already eating and didn't look up when I took my seat.

_Great. I was getting tired of feeling watched all the time_.

"What are we waiting for?" asks the girl from District 1. "Shall we introduce ourselves?" The others just stare at her as if she just asked if she could dance on the table. I agree with her, though; I'd like to know the names of my future allies, thank you.

"I'm Glimmer," she says politely. When she sees the others remain silent, she goes on, pointing at the District 2 tributes. "That is Cato, this is Clove," Cato and Clove nod when she mentions their names; they both have sleek honey-blonde hair and almond-shaped eyes; Cato's are greyish-blue and Clove's are light brown.

"And that rude guy over there is Marvel," Glimmer finishes, shooting him a dirty look (is she… _reprehending_ him?). He just grunts- I'll take that as a "hello"- and keeps eating.

"Pleasure," I say, still eyeing Marvel- I'm starting to think he's not completely right in the head, judging from his mood swings. "I'm Serena. And that's-"

"David," he says cheerfully, stuffing his mouth with fries; I'm glad he lost his shyness.

Surprisingly, Glimmer tries her best to make me feel comfortable- maybe that's how she was educated- but I notice she keeps a disapproving eye on Marvel, like he's doing something wrong. Not that he's doing anything; he's now eating his second bowl of ice cream.

Suddenly the sound of laughter distracts me; I look for the source, finding it right away: Peeta and Katniss are eating together and- judging from the looks on their faces- having fun. They don't even notice the stares from all around the room. What are they doing? They're supposed to be enemies! Not that I feel that way about the people sitting around me- they're my allies, at least for now; but we're acquainted, at the most.

I don't realize I zoned out until I see him looking back; then it hits me- that's how I will get to my pool.

* * *

I catch him just as he is leaving the dining room, followed by his partner.

"Hey, you!" I shout. _That's it, Serena: arrogant. Confident. And with no regard for other human beings._

I scare the girl, causing her to run away, but the boy stops right by the gym door and turns to me. He's taller than I am- who isn't?- but he's so pale and skinny I could take him down easily. I crane my neck and place my hands on my hips.

"Me?" He asks, looking tired. I hesitate; he's not even trying to sound defiant. He's just waiting to hear what I want from him. But I have to keep going.

"Yes, you. You're from District 3, right?" He blinks, inviting me to go on. "What's your name?"

"Chip," he replies. I raise my eyebrows; I shouldn't be surprised, though: his district's specialty is technology, after all.

"Alright, Chip: you see the elevator?" He nods, probably thinking I lost my mind. "It stops working after curfew. I need you to fix it so I can come down whenever I want to."

"And why would I do that?" he asks. It's a simple question; but really, why would he help a girl who will probably kill him in a few days if she gets the chance?

"Because," I say, having an idea: it's risky, but if Chip is successful I won't have any trouble in persuading the others "If you do this for me, I will talk the other Careers into letting you join us as an ally. You can set electronic traps for us or something."

He remains silent, seemingly considering my proposal. "Fine," he finally says; before I can prevent it, I let out a happy squeal, startling him. _Oops_. "What if I can't do it?" he inquires.

"Oh, don't worry about it," I say lightly, not able to hide my good mood. "Isn't that Beetee guy your mentor? Ask him for help. Just… don't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Such thing would never cross my mind."

"Thanks. I'll keep my promise and talk to the others tomorrow."

"If the little lovebirds don't mind it, I would like to get to the gym, please." I feel my blood running cold when I turn around and see Marvel leaning against a dark corner- that's why neither I nor Chip knew he was here- with his arms crossed over his chest and _that_ cocky smirk on his face.

"S-sorry," Chip stammers, rushing inside the gym. Marvel chuckles and follows him, but not before winking at me.

_How long had he been there?_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Marvel_

So, her name's Serena. Sounds appropriate.

I think Glimmer was kind of a hypocrite about the whole stay-away-from-mermaid-girl (_Serena_) thing- I'm not even allowed to look at her, but she spent lunchtime chatting with her like they're best friends and glancing at me as if I was doing something wrong. _She_ was the one who came up to me while training and told me to "stop drooling" and then had the nerve to call me "rude" because I acted indifferent to Serena's presence!

I came to the conclusion that it's pointless to try to understand women. At all.

And then there's the boy from District 3- Chip, that's what Serena called him. I confess at the time all I had in mind was how she was talking with him so easily, after ignoring me; but now that I think about it, this is the perfect chance to get an advantage over Cato and that guy from District 11- a little extra training never hurt anyone. So I decide to go down to the gym after dinner.

"Are you listening to me?" Gloss's voice is like a knife; I didn't hear a word he was saying before.

"What?" I ask stupidly.

"I asked," he repeats slowly, "What you did in training today."

"Oh. You know… I threw some spears, practised with an axe, the usual." Then, feeling the need to impress him, I add, "The Gamemakers were there. I saw them looking at me, and they seemed pleased."

"Good. Did you join District 2?"

"Yes."

"What about District 4? The little ones?"

"What about them?" I ask defiantly; I don't like the way he said "little ones".

"Will they be useful?" He doesn't seem to have noticed my tone.

"As a matter of fact, they will," I reply, "They're just as good as we are. Maybe better; the girl ripped a dummy's arms' out with just two knives. It was amazing."

He squints at me. "Wasn't she the one half-naked at the open ceremonies?"

I don't know why, but I feel a sudden urge to punch him.

_Serena_

"You did _what_?"

"A deal. With District 3."

I don't know why Finnick is getting so worked up- again. Just because I took Chip as an ally, it doesn't mean I'm leaving the Careers. He runs his hand through his hair, looking frustrated.

"Does anyone know about this?" he asks.

"No," I answer, but I know he's not convinced; just like I know when he's lying, he knows when I'm lying too. I decide to give him a half-truth- mentioning Chip's mentor would lead to more questions about what kind of deal we have. "I mean… Maybe Marvel heard something."

"Who's Marvel?"

_Wrong choice of words_.

"He's, uh-" _Ahh, screw it_. "The boy from District 1."

"Him again? Damn it Reena, how am I supposed to protect you when you go around making deals with District 3 and flirting with District 1?"

"I didn't know he was listening! And I'm not flirting with him! Besides, I thought we had agreed I could talk to him. For the record, I haven't. He ignored me- happy?"

"Well, now you have to. Use your feminine charms if you please, just make sure he doesn't tell the other Careers anything about it." He thinks for a moment, then adds, "You can tell them when the time is right; suggest an aliance with District 3. Just don't give the impression you went around making decisions behind their backs."

"So you don't think it's a bad idea?" I ask, surprised.

"Of course not- the kid seems smart, and his mentor is a genius; I just don't approve of your methods."

"Okay, so tomorrow I'll casually _suggest _taking another person as an ally. Can I go to bed now? I'm exhausted."

Finnick is so relieved our argument is over that for once he doesn't notice my lie. "Sure. Goodnight," he says.

"Goodnight, Fin," I answer.

However, as I'm leaving the room, I can hear him turn to Brenna and mutter "I'd love to know what came in that mind of hers that made her resort to District 3."

* * *

I wait until I'm sure everyone's back to their quarters before getting up and heading to my closet. I look through it, thinking how ironic it would be if after all this trouble I found out I have no bathing suit. I end up finding a- what else?- bright blue bikini that barely covers any skin (and I've worn some pretty skimpy ones- at least according to Finnick), but since I'm not planning on having company, I don't care.

I put on the robe I kept from yesterday and peek into the hall; when I see the coast is clear, I sneak towards the elevator, which is now working as properly as it did this morning.

_Thank you, Chip_.

_Marvel_

I let out a loud yawn; this is so boring. Gloss, Cashmere, Marcus, Zama and Diana- Glimmer's stylist- are circled around Glimmer, discussing all her strategies and outfits for the next days- they're already planning what she will wear in her interview, despite it still being four days away. They've come to the conclusion that she's more likely to get sponsors than I am- they haven't seen her trying archery, then- so I'm being left out. Again.

I stretch, eyeing the table they're sitting at- they're so focused on Glimmer they wouldn't notice if I left. I quickly get up from the couch I had been lying on, suddenly remembering my decision of training after dinner- that will show them. That will show them _all. _I'll get the highest training score they've ever seen.

"Where do _you_ think you're going?" Cashmere asks coldly just as I'm leaving the room. She sounds just like her brother, only her voice is even sharper.

"Bed," I answer, not even bothering to turn around.

"Let him go," I hear Gloss say, "We don't need him."

No one follows me to make sure I'm really going to my room, which is a good thing because I head towards the elevator instead. As I wait for it to arrive, I think that out of all the people around me right now, Glimmer is by far the nicest- and that's saying a lot; not exactly how I planned my life as a tribute to be.

* * *

When I get to the gym, I'm surprised by how different it looks without all the other tributes training around me. It's also really dark- the only light source is a lamp in the farthest corner.

_Where is she?_

I don't know why I was still hoping Serena would be here after scaring her like that at lunchtime; I also don't know why I want her to be here- maybe the fact that she's off-limits attracts me (the way her face turned red when I winked at her has nothing to do with it. At all).

I decide to forget about her and practice my skills; I line up a set of four dummies and grab the heaviest and sharpest spear I find. I aim at the first dummy, pretend it's Gloss and hit it right in the head; I do the same with the second and third one, pretending they're Cashmere and Zama and hitting them in the chest and the stomach. Just as I'm about to throw another spear at Finnick Odair, I hear a noise coming from out of the gym.

It sounded like a splash; I drop the spear, forgetting about the dummy, and walk out to the hall. It's just as empty as the gym, but there's a half-open door next to the elevator; I never noticed it, despite all the times I walked past that place. Quietly, I walk up to the door and enter the room.

_What the-?_

I find myself in a room just as big as the gym down the hall, except most of this one is taken by a huge swimming pool. There's still no one in sight, and the water is quiet, except for-

There's something moving around in the bottom.

I approach the edge of the pool to take a closer look; just when I get close enough to discern what it is, I slip on the wet floor.

I only have time to think of how I never learned how to swim before diving head first in the water.

_Serena_

Finally, a place where I can be peaceful- here there is no noise, only that constant sound of the water pressuring my ears. I exhale, causing bubbles to come out of my nose, and swim towards the bottom of the pool. I decide to sit there until I have no air left.

I let out a surprised scream- that turns into a huge bubble- when something falls in the pool, right in front of me. Whatever it is- I can't tell, there's too much foam in the way-, it's big. I kick the tile below my feet and emerge, breathing in and diving back right away.

My underwater vision is a little blurry, but I can see enough to realize with a shock that a fully dressed Marvel is struggling to go back to the surface; they probably don't care about teaching kids how to swim in District 1. Without thinking twice, I dart towards him and grab his arms, pulling him up. It doesn't even cross my mind I should just let him drown and decrease the number of tributes right before the Games. All I can think about is getting him out of the water safely; but he's just too heavy, and he won't stop moving.

I finally manage to pull him up so we can get our heads out of the water; he's panicking, gasping for air and clinging to my shoulders- if he doesn't stop it, I'll drown along with him.

"Stop it!" I shout. I don't care if anyone hears us- what was he thinking?

He immediately holds still, and in no time we climb to the edge of the pool and just sit there panting.

"_Are you insane?_" I ask him; I feel a note of hysteria in my voice, but I don't mind it. I'm completely flipping out. "And what the hell are you doing here?"

Now that he's out of danger, he has the good sense to look ashamed of himself. However, there's a hint of amusement in his expression as he eyes me up and down; I suddenly become aware of how little clothing I'm wearing and quickly cross my arms over my chest. I instantly regret doing it, as he notices my gesture and grins cockily.

_What a pervert_.

"I'm sorry I had to make myself noticed like that," he says, looking innocently into my eyes; I notice his eyes aren't the usual District 1 emerald green- they're exactly the same shade as the sea surrounding me when I explored the depths back home. I try not to be distracted by this detail. "But I wanted to have a word with you."

"No you didn't. You were stalking me- again. What do you want?" I ask coldly.

"Well, first of all, thank you. For the, you know… rescuing. Second of all, I don't think we were properly introduced. Marvel Gould, pleased to meet you." He reaches out his hand, but I don't take it; I prefer to keep my arms crossed.

"Serena Brooke," I say blankly.

"Alright, Serena," Marvel says cheerfully, "I just realized there's a huge gap in my training. I need you to teach me how to swim."

I gape at him. _What?_

"No!" I shout. Who does he think he is?

"You see, I was afraid you would say that," he says, trying to sound hurt, "But I'd think twice, if I were you. You don't want me to tell anyone you were here, do you?

"I just saved your life. I don't owe you anything," I say insecurely.

"Yes you do. You know, I'm not sure if I like the deal you made with- what's his name? Chip. Maybe I should ask Cato and Clove what they think about it." His grin grows wider when he sees my face. "I will take that as a yes."

"Whatever," I gasp. "Go get a swimsuit."

"Anything you say." He tries to kiss me playfully on the cheek, but I push him away. He's really gotten on my nerves.

I get a bad feeling as I see him disappear towards the elevator. _What am I doing?_

_Marvel_

Now that I know I have this effect on Serena, I won't let go of this opportunity; teasing her is starting to become the best part of my day. I don't even have to say anything: it seems just my presence is enough, judging from the fact she immediately blushes when I get back in the room, wearing nothing but my new pair of trunks- why Zama bothered to make them is a mystery.

I pretend to ignore her reaction, instead saying lightly, "I guess this is my lucky day-threw a spear from a distance of 20 yards and got saved by a beauty in a bikini!"

She just stares at me wide-eyed and starts muttering what I presume are obscenities under her breath; this is too fun.

"Let's get this over with," she says crankily; then she turns around and gets in the pool.

I follow her, glad that I finally have the opportunity to stare freely without Odair or Glimmer interfering. Now that she's not wearing a dress or a fishtail, I can appreciate the whole thing: she's really short and pretty thin, but still curvy enough to keep me interested.

_And she might be dead in a few days_.

My smile slips just as she looks at me. "Hey, are you okay?" she asks worriedly, seemingly forgetting that I have been trying my best to piss her off.

"I'm fine," I reply. I'm starting to regret my attitude- she just saved my life, and all I did in return was black-mail her and look at her butt. I decide to stop it.

"Okay, first lesson," she says. "You obviously need to learn how to float. Lay on your back and try to stay still."

I promptly follow her instructions, trying not to get on her nerves more than I already have and cause her to attempt to drown me. However, I'm not able to stay above the surface, and end up gulping an awful lot of water; I immediately get back on my feet, coughing and feeling embarrassed.

"No, no," she says patiently, "You're doing it wrong. Try again."

Being surrounded by water appears to have a soothing effect on her; well, that and the fact that I haven't tried to harass her for the past two minutes.

"It's easier if you spread your arms and legs," says Serena. I do as she says, and when my feet start sinking she takes them- she has surprisingly delicate hands, for someone who spent their life fishing and tying knots- and holds them over the water to stop me from going down. I raise my head to look at her.

"Don't move your head!" she says. "Pretend you're asleep."

I don't need to hear it twice; I lay my head back with a splash and close my eyes, while she lets go of my feet. This feels good. This feels _really_ good.

I should make up for my past attitudes and say something nice.

"You're a great swimmer, you know," I praise, without opening my eyes.

_Wow, charming and original._

"Thank you," she hesitates for a moment. "But I'm from District 4, so it's not that big of a deal."

"What does it have to do with anything?" I ask jokingly. "I'm from District 1 and you don't see me walking around in a tiara."

I open one of my eyes in order to check her reaction. I can tell she's trying hard not to laugh: it's not the first time I see her smile, but it was never directed towards me.

"Maybe you should, _sassy princess,_" she replies.

I'm so taken aback by what she just said that I swallow a bit more of water; it seems like we kept an eye on each other while watching the reapings.

"I can't believe you just said that," I say. "You sound just like Flint."

She raises her arms in a perfect impersonation of him, and bows. "Thank you, thank you." She turns back to her normal self. "Flint's the one who got reaped, isn't he?"

"Yeah." My good mood is suddenly gone; I got so excited to be here that I haven't stopped to think about my family and friends not even once.

"It was very noble of you," she says softly, "To volunteer for him."

_Is she serious?_

"I didn't volunteer for him," I say harshly. "No one ever volunteers for others."

She remains silent for a moment, probably thinking about how that Seam girl stepped in for her sister; but Katniss is one in hundreds, so she doesn't count- at least not for me.

"Why did you volunteer, then?" asks Serena. I take a good look at her, surprised by her question- for the first time, I look into those dark eyes of hers not to tease her, but in an attempt to understand what's on her mind.

I know she trained before she was reaped- it was pretty obvious, judging from the way she managed that trident; she was well fed, too, despite her tiny frame. And I asked Gloss if what Clove said about her grandmother being a past victor was true, and the answer is yes. Not to mention the fact she goes around calling Finnick Odair- also a victor- _Fin_. So she's not new to the Games.

But she still has no clue.

"I did it for myself," I answer; "I did it so I could bring honor to my family and make my father feel proud of me. To prove everyone I'm not some worthless spoiled brat from a rich family."

"I don't think you're 'some worthless spoiled brat from a rich family'. You're just a little bit too cocky," she mutters, making my heart jump a bit. Then, she adds louder, "And there's no honor in being a murderer."

"What are you talking about?" I seriously do not see her point. "Didn't your grandmother win the Games? Do you think _she_ is a murderer?"

I immediately regret saying this, when I see the look of pain on her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't-" I start.

"No, it's okay," says Serena, but she still sounds hurt. "It's just… you sounded exactly like my sister Marina. She said the same thing to me a long time ago. I should have learned my lesson by now."

"I didn't know you had a sister." I'm trying to redeem myself by asking about her family, but it seems to be only making things worse.

"I have five, actually." She ignores my look of surprise and goes on. "Anyway, I think you should know this: my grandmother was _not_ proud of what she had done. She was haunted by nightmares until the day she died; I could hear her screaming in her sleep, long after she could not even hear herself anymore" She now looks like she's about to start crying. "She _never_ considered herself a heroine; she did whatever it took to go back to her loved ones. And I'm planning on doing the same."

It had never occurred to me that Serena might have been _forced_ into this, despite being from a Career district; I always thought she was like Glimmer, who didn't want anyone to volunteer for her- then I remember how dainty she looked at the reaping. Perhaps she was even purposely chosen; Flint's theory is that children- or in Serena's case, grandchildren- of past victors are more likely to get reaped. It adds some more emotion to the Games.

Without thinking, I take her hand; she eyes my fingers, wrapped around hers, but doesn't say anything. "Look, I'm really sorry," I say. "I had no idea."

Serena gives me a sad grin. "I said it's okay. I just wanted you to know what you signed yourself into." She drops my hand. "Shall we continue our lesson?"

She spends the next hour teaching me how to blow bubbles from my nose- apparently that's one of my major problems- and to swim on my back. After a while, I'm able to do it without sinking- much. She doesn't look sad while correcting me, only a bit absent-minded; I can't blame her, after the conversation we had.

"I think we're done for today," she finally says. "We can continue tomorrow."

We get out of the pool and she puts on her robe- now I wish I had brought mine-; then we head towards the elevator, in silence. All my muscles are sore, and I think I never drank this much water in my life; Serena seems just a bit tired.

"Thank you," I say, as the doors open to reveal my floor "You're, uh… a great teacher." _This is so embarrassing_. "Goodnight, Serena."

She seems surprised that I'm not addressing her in a mocking tone.

"Goodnight, Marvy-Boy," she says smirking, just before the doors close.

_Serena_

I'm glad Finnick's not one to check if I'm okay, despite his overprotective nature; had he peeked into my room to make sure I was safely asleep, and I would now be facing his rage. As I take a warm shower, I decide that tomorrow I'll leave some pillows under the blankets- just in case.

I step into the room and press the button that dries my hair, proceeding to choose a nightgown. Then, I finally get in my bed, hoping to fall asleep right away.

Needless to say I don't.

I can't get Marvel out of my head; I just don't understand him. The way he seems to take pleasure in bothering me, but rushes to take my hand as soon as I get upset. His adorable- did I just describe him as _adorable_?- inaptitude to swim (he's a fast learner, though); and the fact he's here to impress his father, just like a little boy- I can see that underneath that coat of arrogance and ladies man behavior he's just as insecure about all of this as, well… me.

Not to mention he looks amazing in trunks.

It's this tiny detail, the effect he has in me, that makes me want to scream into my pillow in frustration; I've lived by the sea since I was born, _surrounded _by fishermen of all ages- a male torso is nothing new to me. I've seen _Finnick_- the most desired man in all of Panem- wearing next to nothing within inches away from me; I know he's like my brother- or father, I haven't been sure lately-, but still! And here I am, turning red at the sight of a District 1 tribute. There's definitely something wrong with me.

After an hour of turning around on my sheets, I finally manage to fall asleep, once again haunted by those green eyes.

* * *

**Here they are, chapters 5 and 6! What do you think of Serena and Marvel's meeting? **

**I still can't thank you enough for your reviews, by the way ^^**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Serena_

_What will I do today?_

For some unknown reason, Finnick and Mags were nowhere to be found when I entered the room this morning, so Brenna spent breakfast instructing me and David to try and learn some survival skills. However, I don't feel like following her advice; Careers are not known for, say, camouflage. We like to be seen and feared- anyone can see that just by looking around the gym: Cato is happily decapitating dummies with a sword; Clove is taking the ones he doesn't need anymore and opening them up with her signature knives and a sadistic grin upon her face; David is holding a bow, waiting for his turn while Glimmer aims at her target and fails again. And Marvel-

"Hello, beautiful."

I jump, almost letting out a squeal when he whispers in my ear- I was so distracted watching the other tributes that I didn't notice Marvel creeping up behind me.

"Where are we going first?" he asks; his warm breath caresses my neck, causing the strands of hair that escaped from my ponytail to wave around and sending chills down my spine.

_Stop it, Reena. Stop it now._

"_We_ are not going anywhere," I say defiantly- an almost impossible task, thanks to my racing heart. _At least he's wearing a shirt_. "_I_ am going to tie some knots."

This is the last thing I need to practise, but I'm saying the first thing that comes to my mind in hopes he will go away.

But of course he doesn't; this is Marvel we're talking about.

"Come on, Serena." He's back to his usual mocking tone. "Why are you treating me like this?"

"Because," I breathe in sharply; I can't deal with this so early in the morning. "We're not friends. We're not even district partners."

I turn around and walk away, to make my point, but he still follows me.

"It didn't look like that last night," he mutters, smiling mischievously. "Mood swing much?"

I gape at him, realizing he's right. But how does he expect me to always be nice to him when he's the one who changes his attitude every five minutes?

"Whatever," I say. He's now blocking my path. "Can I please go?"

"No. You're going to teach me how to tangle a net."

_Wait, what?_

"No, I'm not." This is going too far. "You have instructors for that. Besides," I drop my tone so no one can hear us. "Don't you think it's enough that I'm teaching you how to swim? You're taking the few advantages I have over the other tributes. If you want to learn anything else, you have to teach me something in return."

I thought his tough- Career nature would make him refuse, but I'm wrong- as usual.

"Okay, what do you want to learn?" He wiggles his eyebrows. "I'm a man of many talents, you know?"

I clench my teeth; I will never win an argument with Marvel.

"We'll see about that later," I say. "Now come on, before I change my mind."

We approach the knots station, which is surprisingly busy today; three tributes- I believe two of them from District 7 and the other, the crippled boy, from District 10- are trying their best to tie a simple knot, under the instructor's surveilance. The red-haired girl from District 5 is also there and doing better than the others, but she's alone. She raises her head when we sit a few feet away from her and the others; I don't like the way she looks at us. The instructor notices our presence too, but when he sees the "4" pinned to my shirt he seems to decide we're not a priority.

"Good, we have some privacy," Marvel says cheerfully; I just grunt in response.

I'm starting to act like him. This is not a good sign.

He's better at net- tangling than he is at swimming, which is saying a lot, since he's learning so fast; if I didn't know better, I'd say he's done this his entire life. After a while, I take my eyes off my half- finished net and unconsciously proceed to observe him.

He's ridiculously good-looking, for someone so annoying, with dark blonde hair, _those eyes _and child-like cheeks paired with the promise of a stubble. I drop my eyes from his jaw- he really needs to shave-, eyeing his arms instead; they're strong-looking, but not menacing like Cato's, and so are his hands. I notice he wears a golden bracelet around his left wrist- it's obviously not his, judging from the way it looks so tight and the heart hanging from it.

_Maybe his girlfriend gave it to him._

"Is there anything wrong?"

Damn, he caught me.

"Oh, nothing," I say lightly. "Nice bracelet."

Marvel instantly hides his left hand behind his back. "What about it?" he asks defensively.

_It's his girlfriend's, for sure._

"I just said it was nice," I say. He looks relieved- perhaps he thought I was making fun of him. "Is it your token?"

"Yes." He absent-mindedly starts playing with the tiny heart. "Crystal gave it to me."

_And her name's Crystal._

"Jem gave me a present too," he continues. "But I can't really carry a drawing around, so I had to resort to putting it on my wall."

"Uh… who's Jem?" I ask.

"Oh, sorry" He seems to return to reality. "Jem is my brother; he's eight. And Crystal is my annoying fourteen-year-old sister."

_Why am I relieved?_

"Maybe you remember her," he says, "If you saw the reapings last year. She was replaced by a volunteer."

Now that I think about it, I recall seeing a blonde girl, tall for her age, happily waving at the cameras.

"Did she want to be in the Games?" I ask.

"Yes," he answers sorrowfully. "Not as much as I did, but close. But she was too young, and my mother convinced my father to take her away as soon as the other girl volunteered. My mother doesn't like the Games," he explains, "She's the only one in my family, though. Jem can't wait to turn 12."

"I must say I agree with her," I say in a low voice.

Marvel ignores my remark. "What about you?" he asks. "What did your parents say?"

I retract as soon as I hear his question; but there's no way he could know- the look of curiosity in his face is sincere.

"They didn't say anything," I reply. "They died fourteen years ago."

For the first time, it's his face that turns red. "I'm sorry," he stutters. "I should just shut up."

"How would you know? It's not like I've told everyone about this."

He seems relieved that I didn't start yelling at him- or worse, broke down crying.

"Tell me about your sisters, then," Marvel pleads; maybe he decided I should do the talking, so he doesn't mess up again.

I thought this would be a painful matter, but Marvel's so easy to talk to- when he's not busy teasing me- that I just go for it and tell him everything.

"As you know, I have five sisters," I start; he blinks, encouraging me to go on. "They're all older than I am- Kailani's 19; she goes around on boat expeditions, studying the underwater wildlife." I smile when I remember the piles of maps and drawings on her desk, that drive Naida mad. "Her dream is to catch a shark, but the Capitol usually takes her samples to make experiments, so I don't know if she would be able to keep it. Athena and Muriel are 22," I raise my net. "And they're the reason I can teach you this. They make the best nets in District 4."

"They're both 22? Are they twins?" he asks.

"Hum, yeah. I can't really tell them apart," I say, feeling ashamed.

"Go on." he asks.

"Then there's Naida; she's 26, and she's the biggest neat-freak ever. She flips out every time I come up from the beach and leave water on the floor." Marvel bursts out laughing. "What's so funny?" I ask, annoyed.

"It's just that the last time you left water on the floor, I fell head first in a pool," Marvel replies, still laughing.

"It was all your fault," I say stubbornly.

"Fine, fine." He seems to remember something. "What about your other sister? Marina, isn't it?"

"Yes." I'm surprised he remembers. "Marina is the oldest- she's 28. And she's expecting a baby." I feel a lump in my throat. "She asked me to be the godmother."

Marvel stares at me pitifully.

"You never know," he says. "You might meet the kid soon."

I shoot him a thankful look, trying not to think that if I ever get to meet my godson, this boy in front of me will be dead.

* * *

"He can't just blow us off like this!"

"We should ask him again."

Today, the conversation at the Career table revolves around Thresh's refusal to join us; Cato and Clove seem personally offended- as for me, I couldn't care less. Another ally would only bring me more trouble.

And I still haven't spoken about Chip.

Suddenly, Marvel elbows me (he managed to convince me to sit next to him, and Glimmer is shooting him dirty looks again). "What?" I ask, confused.

"Cato was saying," Clove utters, sounding annoyed. "That you and Glimmer should go and ask him again if he wants to be our ally."

"Uh? Why us?"

Clove purses her lips at my question; I understand why as soon as Cato answers my question.

"Because you two are more likely to persuade him, if you know what I mean," he says.

If it wasn't for his scary grin and Clove's reaction, I'd say he was joking. I feel Marvel stiffen next to me- I guess he doesn't approve of Cato's idea either.

"Clove should go too, then," I say, trying to be nice; Cato instantly frowns, and so does Clove. However, there's a hint of a smile when she informs me she can't go because Thresh already knows her; Marvel is now trying not to laugh.

"Enough chitchat. Let's go," Glimmer says impatiently, grabbing my arm and helping me get up.

"Follow my lead," she mutters while we walk up to the table where Thresh is sitting alone. "Not that you need any help."

I'm wondering what she meant by that when we reach him. He looks up from his steak, still chewing, and waits to hear what we want to tell him. I bite my lip; he's not as frightening as Cato, but I still wouldn't want him as my enemy- I'd rather leave him alone and hope he does the same.

Glimmer gives him her best smile and sits in front of him; I decide to do the same.

"Hello," she purrs. "You're Thresh, right? I'm Glimmer."

Wow, she's good.

He nods, and looks at me; I smile seductively and flip my long hair back. "Serena," I say; batting my eyelashes would be overdoing it, so I add: "Nice to meet you."

Glimmer glances at me approvingly and turns back to Thresh. "Look, we've gathered some… _friends_, and we would really appreciate it if you joined us. You're not like the others, you see." She gestures towards the other tributes sitting around the room.

"Please," I add, making puppy eyes.

_Where did that sickenly girly voice come from?_

"I already told your friends," He doesn't need to raise his voice to make me want to run away; Glimmer has to stop me from getting up. "That I don't want anything to do with _any _of you. Beat it."

"But-" Glimmer starts. As for me, I've had enough.

"Come on, Glimmer." I take her hand and pull her away from Thresh.

I still feel him observing us as we get back to our table; Clove, Cato and even David seem disappointed. Marvel bursts out laughing.

_Marvel_

Serena returns to her seat next to me and starts eating with her eyes glued to her plate; her face has become a lovely shade of red due to what just happened. I wonder how Thresh managed to ignore, and even mistreat her- if she had flipped her hair like that in front of me, I wouldn't hold the responsibility for my actions. I feel her knee touch my leg under the table- by accident, I guess- and I suddenly find myself thinking what it would be like to kiss her.

_She's driving me mad._

I go back to this morning, recalling our conversations- she's actually quite talkative when it comes to her family and her home, and she seems to have complete trust in me; for some reason, I trust her too.

What will it be like in the arena? The only way I can achieve my dream and go back to my family is to win; and if I win, she dies. It is my every intention to protect her- after all, we're allies- once we're in there, but I wouldn't bear it if it came down to the two of us.

_I should stop thinking about this._

The sound of Serena clearing her throat makes me focus back on what's happening around me.

"As you can see, that didn't go too well," she says. "But if you allow me, I have a suggestion."

What is she doing? Is she going to insist on that ridiculous idea of teaming up with District 3?

"Spit it out," says Cato.

"You see that kid over there?" Everyone, including me, turns in Chip's direction. _Oh no. _Serena takes a deep breath before blurting out "I think we should take him as an ally."

This is not how you convince someone like Cato to do something; she should have waited longer, or flattered him before saying anything. All I want is to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her- well, that and other things; none of them acceptable in a public place.

"What?" Cato snorts, "Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah," Serena says shyly. I guess she wasn't expecting this reaction. "He's good with electronics; he can set a trap that kills more than one tribute at once. At least that's what my mentors told me."

She glances at me desperately, begging for help. _Screw it_, I think. _It won't hurt to give the lady a little hand._

"I agree," I say. "What does Thresh have that we don't? Nothing. But that boy can do something that we can't. I say we let him join us."

I'm glad I stood up to Cato, because as soon as I stop talking Serena squeezes my hand, thanking me.

"Let him join," Clove says impatiently. "Who knows? Maybe they're right and he will be useful."

"Fine," Cato agrees. "Just make sure he doesn't die in the bloodbath. Dave, go talk to him."

Serena's little ginger partner gets up and rushes to Chip, visibly happy to follow Cato's order. He's changed a lot in the past few days, from scared kid to confident Career; but I'm afraid he's chosen the wrong role model.

"I should go and check if he doesn't screw it," says Cato, when he sees David is gesturing excitedly in front of a very surprised Chip, who is obviously not understanding a word.

Clove makes sure Cato is out of hearing range before turning to Serena. "Did your grandmother also team up with District 3?" she asks with a sly smile; Serena doesn't seem to notice the mockery in her voice.

"No," she replies lightly, still eating her lasagna. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just thought that maybe she wanted you to follow her footsteps," Clove goes on. "And taught you some tricks."

I don't like where this is going.

"Oh, but she did." Serena takes a green bread out of the basket, breaks it and proceeds to put butter in it. "She taught me a hitch that strangles a person in seconds." She takes a bite out of the bread. "Once, she caught me trying to practise it on my schoolmates. From that moment forward, I had to resort to stray cats." She looks at Clove wide-eyed and blinks twice. "I was a rather disturbed child. For real."

Oh, snap.

"What did I miss?" asks David, who has returned just in time to see Clove turn red while Glimmer and I crack up; Serena is still calmly eating her bread.

* * *

"We should move, the Gamemakers are watching. What do you want me to teach you?" I ask Serena. She smirks, looking embarassed; apparently she doesn't have anything in mind- she just wanted to show me she can be manipulative as well.

She's obviously unaware of the hold she has over me.

"How about climbing?" Without waiting for her answer, I approach the wall and proceed to climb it easily (I confess I'm showing off); I'm half-way up when I realize she hasn't followed me. I look down; she's staring at me with her hands behind her back, and she's looking even more sheepish than before.

"Aren't you coming?" I ask. She replies something I can't hear, so I jump, landing swiftly next to her. "What? I couldn't hear you."

"I said I'm scared of heights."

"Really?" _I never do anything right_. "So, uh… What do you say we go throw some spears? It's my specialty."

"Okay," she answers with a relieved smile.

We head to the spears station, which is now empty- after lunch everyone's so tired that they usually practise survival skills until around four. I grab some spears, feel their weight and hand Serena the lightest; she might be skilled with a trident, but this is not the same.

"Ladies first," I say, with my best Capitol accent. She chuckles and throws her spear, missing the center of the target; it's not bad for a first try, though. I look around, making sure no one is watching us- the Gamemakers have focused their attention on a five-story pink cake that has just arrived- before pulling out the spear and approaching her. "Here." I hand the spear to Serena and place myself behind her, gently seizing her wrists to show her how she should put her arms. Now that I am so close to her- and enjoying every second of it- I see she's even smaller than I thought; I'm lucky if her head reaches my chest.

"This is a stupid question," I say, not letting go of her wrists. "But how old are you?"

She turns around to face me, looking amused. "Where did that come from?"

I shrug. "It's just… You're so short! You look like you're thirteen."

Actually, she doesn't, but I want to see her reaction; she does not disappoint me. "I do not!" she says indignantly, straightening up. "For your information, I'm seventeen. How old are _you_?"

"Seventeen. But that attitude does not convince me, baby-face," I tease; I love it when she loses her temper. "On second thoughts, I don't give you over ten."

"Oh, shut up," she says, trying to sound annoyed- but I catch a hint of a smile when she focuses back on the target and throws her spear, this time hitting the center. "I did it!" She starts dancing, apparently forgetting she's in the Training Center, getting ready for the Hunger Games. For some reason, I get an urge to join her.

"You're welcome," I say jokingly.

"Thank you. You're my hero." She bats her eyelashes. "Now it's your turn."

I smile like an idiot in return and aim at the target, this time nearly missing the center. I sincerely hope this doesn't happen in the arena.

* * *

**I hope you liked it! Chapter 8 will be up in a few days :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

_Marvel_

It's amazing how everyone's so focused on themselves they don't even notice that Serena and I spend so much time together; that's also due to the fact that, unlike _some people, _we don't wear matching outfits or show off our friendship. Even now, that we are heading to the elevator so we can return to our respective quarters, no one is paying attention to us. That is, until-

"You need to go. Now." Serena has suddenly stopped walking, and is staring at something- or someone- by the elevator. "By the pool, at ten?" she asks hastily, before running away, not waiting for my answer. I wait for the other tributes to enter the elevator and hide around the corner, so I can find out what made her run like that.

Finnick Odair is waiting for her, with a radiant smile on his face.

She rushes to him, and he takes both her hands in his; she looks worried for a moment, while he says something that I can't hear, before letting out a happy squeal and throwing herself into his arms. He holds her tightly, and then continues talking as they enter the elevator, with his arm still around her shoulders. I had never seen her smile like that.

Especially around me.

I wait for the elevator doors to close before getting out of my hiding place and summoning another elevator. I get in and slam the "1" button.

In a matter of seconds, I reach my floor; thankfully, I don't run into anyone before heading to my room and slamming the door behind me- if I did, I would most certainly punch them.

She fooled me. In _two days_ she made me gain feelings for her, only to end up shoving her romance with Finnick on my face. I'm not stupid; why else would she hide me from him? The guy's obviously jealous.

_And so am I_.

* * *

Gloss notices something's wrong with me and calls me after dinner- I shouldn't be surprised; seeing as he has the same cocky personality as me (even more, I think), he immediately suspects I'm up to something as soon as I shut up about myself. And I haven't spoken a word the whole meal.

He's also much more bearable when his sister is not around- oh, he doesn't give me a brotherly pat on the back or offers me a drink, inviting me to open up with him. But he tries to keep a normal conversation, and that's a start.

He waits until Glimmer and Cashmere leave for their separate coaching session- I wonder how that drunk from District 12 is able to coach two tributes at once, being the only mentor available- and leans back in his chair, eyeing me with his arms crossed.

"How was training?" he asks.

"It was fine." I don't look up from Crystal's bracelet- it's actually quite relaxing to twist this little heart. "I learned how to tangle a net." I try not to think of those lean fingers showing me the correct way to tie a knot. "Maybe tomorrow I'll go for something more deadly and try a mace."

"Very good." He sees I'm still acting moody, and adds, "You shouldn't underestimate the survival skills, you know? When I was your age, I accidentally ate some weird berries. To this day I still don't know what it was- all I know is that I spent a week puking pink stuff."

I take my eyes off my wrist and look at him; he's staring back, expecting me to laugh, or something. Instead, I say blankly, "I bet that didn't help with the ladies."

"So that's your problem." He smirks. "I thought you were feeling threatened by the bigger tributes."

"I'm not. I'm the best at spear-throwing. They've got nothing on me."

"Sure you are. Now tell me, does she know you like her?"

Am I really having this conversation? With Gloss, out of all people?

"I didn't say there was a girl. Because there isn't," I say harshly.

Gloss gives me a _Yeah, right _look. "I'll tell you one thing: girls can make you do the stupidest things- trust me, I know. This is coming from someone who used to try and sneak into his sister's slumber parties. But it takes a lot more to put a man down like that. So you better win this and go back to her, whoever she is." He gets up and turns to me when he reaches the door. "But of course this advice will be of no use, for there is not any girl, is it?"

_Serena_

I'm so happy I'm almost unable to twist myself into my bikini- I feel like dancing around my room until I get so tired I fall on the floor. I finally understand why Finnick and Mags weren't here this morning; I still can't believe the Capitol let them travel to District 4- and then back here- because of something like this.

But then again, they love Finnick.

I confess I panicked when I saw him by the elevator, despite his smile (the fact Marvel was right next to me had _absolutely_ nothing to do with it). He could be faking it, due to the crowd surronding us.

"Reena," Finnick said. "I have some news for you."

From the way he seized my hands, I thought something bad had happened. "What is it? Where's Mags?" I asked, fearing the worst- she hasn't been feeling good lately.

"She's upstairs," he replied. "We've just arrived from District 4; I wanted to give you the news as soon as possible. Your sister had the baby last night."

His words took me a second to sink in, but when I finally understood what he was saying, I squealed and hugged him. _I have a nephew_.

I have to apologize to Marvel for the way I left him hanging.

_Marvel_. He still doesn't know! I can't believe I forgot about him. I'll tell him as soon as I get to the pool.

But maybe I should really forget him. There's a baby waiting to meet me back home, and Marvel is only complicating everything.

But just because I should, it doesn't mean I want to.

* * *

I get down to the pool fifteen minutes early, so I can swim alone for a while; however, after swimming back and forth two times, I get bored. I never thought I would get tired of this silence- I'm already missing Marvel's incessant bragging and the questions he's always asking out of sheer curiosity. I sit on the edge of the pool, splashing on the water with my feet and humming "My Jolly Sailor Bold"- a song I learned while fishing with the other girls from my district- to myself.

He's late.

I get on my feet as soon as I hear the door. _He's here!_

"Hi!" I say joyfully. "I thought you weren't coming."

I expect him to smirk and say something along the lines of _Why would I do that, Baby-face?_ but he just walks up to me and mutters "Hey" without looking me in the eye.

_Fine, don't talk to me_. _See if I care_. Not even his unexplainable grumpy attitude can spoil my happiness; I decide not to tell him the news, at least for now.

He spends half of today's lesson following my instructions in silence, still avoiding my gaze; he's getting much better, for someone who just 24 hours ago almost drowned. Because I'm not enjoying the quietness- and because he's starting to get on my nerves _again-_ I restart singing my song, not minding if he likes it or not.

Finally, Marvel seems to have enough: just as I'm singing _My heart is pierced by Cupid_ for the fourth time, he blurts out, "You're awfully happy today."

I look at him through the corner of my eye. "That I am. Want to know why?"

"Oh, I know perfectly why. Any girl would kill for what _you_ have."

I stare at him, not understanding. "What?"

"Oh, you know." He smiles condescendingly. "You could have told me about Finnick. Although it's pretty obvious."

_Uh? Is he jealous?_

"I don't understand," I say harshly. "Exactly _what_ is pretty obvious?"

"Don't act all innocent, because I don't believe you. But I have a question: how come you can't be seen with me, but he goes around having affairs with half of the Capitol?"

I blink, while I apprehend his words; then I start laughing. "I'm not dating Finnick!" Marvel still doesn't seem convinced. "He's like… the father figure in my life. And you shouldn't believe everything you see on television," I scold. "He's doing what his victor status requires, but his heart belongs to Annie."

Maybe I shouldn't be telling him this, but the idea of me romantically involved with Finnick is just ridiculous.

"But…" Marvel looks like a little kid who was caught doing something bad. "But I saw you two holding hands. And hugging! Not to mention he must have told you something really intimate in the elevator yesterday, for you to blush like that."

I feel my face heat up, because I have just remembered Finnick was accusing me of having a crush on Marvel. "Stop being so stubborn," I say. "What you saw today was Finnick telling me I'm an aunt; my sister had the baby." He blinks, surprised. "I wanted to tell you, but you wouldn't even look at me."

He opens his mouth. "So that's why you call him Fin?" I don't know what this has to do with my sister giving birth, but from the relief in his voice, I presume he has been thinking about it- a lot.

"Hum, yeah." Seriously, this boy is so strange. "What's the problem? I can start calling you Marvy-Boy, if you prefer."

"You'll stop calling me that right now, okay? I don't know how you found out about that nickname, but it has to stop."

I smile at how easily he gets offended. "I have no idea what you're talking about; I made that up."

"Really? That's what my friends call me. Especially Flint."

"Oh, my," I apply my girly, high-pitched voice. "I should meet him, then. We seem to have a lot in common. Is he single?"

Marvel chooses to ignore my remark; instead, he asks "What do they call _you_, Baby- face?"

He really does ask the weirdest things. But I love it when he calls me Baby-face.

"Apart from 'Baby-face'?" I ask amusingly. "Reena. But my grandmother used to call me 'my little mermaid'. Because of the story; do you know it?"

He smiles. "No. You have to tell it to me some time." He stares at something behind me, apparently remembering something. "Come here," he asks. I do as he says, and he wraps his arms around me, slightly lifting me up from the ground. "Congratulations, _auntie Reena._"

I smile against his shoulder; I have no idea how he comes up with these things, but I'm not complaining.

_Marvel_

I crash into my bed, not bothering to take a shower or getting in my pajamas; I'm exhausted. Serena might be small, but it really does take a lot of resistence to swim like that.

I stare at the ceiling and think about what happened today; I shouldn't be so happy that she's not Odair's latest lover: that was the only thing remotely separating me from Serena, but now there's nothing that can make me keep my hands off her- and the fact that I didn't waste any time to hug her proves it; I wonder what will happen next if I don't control myself.

Except we're supposed to be enemies. And sooner or later, someone will kill her.

I press my hands against my eyes and let out a frustrated groan. _How am I getting out of this?_

* * *

**(I do not own the song! It's in the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides soundtrack, but I couldn't resist putting it here)**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and yet again- thanks for your reviews :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_Marvel_

I'm completely freezing when I wake up the next morning: I'm still wearing my trunks, and I haven't pulled the blankets over my body. The sun hasn't come up yet, but I force myself to crawl out of bed and take a shower. Then, with water still dripping from my hair, I order a cup of hot chocolate and sit on a chair, taking small sips and thinking about the day ahead of me.

It's the last training day; this means I will have the opportunity to show the Gamemakers everything I'm capable of- not that I haven't done it already, but I was surronded by twenty-three other tributes at the time, and now I will have all of their attention for sure. I intend on having a training score of at least nine- pretending to be weak has never been my thing; it would be useless to do so, anyway, since I'm the largest tribute, apart from Cato and Thresh. Oh, and that Peeta guy, but he's shorter than I am, and for what I saw for the past two days, he's not that big of a threat.

This makes me think of Serena; she's so small she could have pretended she couldn't even handle a knife, and then reveal how dangerous she really is in the arena. But even though she might be shy, she doesn't lose an opportunity to show off when it comes to the Games. Then I remember Cato and Clove's initial refusal to let her join us, and realize she had her reasons.

_Serena. _

This will also probably be the day of our last swimming lesson: tomorrow we'll spend the whole time with our respective mentors and escorts, and the day after that we'll have to get ready for the interviews. And then-

No, I can't think about that; I already feel my stomach turn just by thinking this is the last day we will spend together as true friends. I decide to seize it the best I can.

The sun is already shining through the curtains. I put down my cup, that has gone cold, and stand up, so I can get dressed. As Effie Trinket would say, _it's a big, big, big day_.

When I come down for breakfast, Glimmer is already leaving, with Cashmere quickly following on her heels, still whispering instructions. I notice Glimmer's clothes are even shorter and tighter than usual- maybe she's hoping she will get a better training score by seducing some of the Gamemakers; the sad part is, she's probably right. Thank goodness Serena's stylist doesn't share of Diana's ideas, apart from that mermaid outfit and the bikinis. It would be my doom.

"Good morning," I say, earning a surprised stare from Gloss; Cashmere ignores me and returns to her quarters, most likely to catch up on her beauty sleep.

"Good morning," he replies. "Are you ready for today?"

"Yeah." I sit down and start stuffing my mouth with a bowl of cereal; I'm starving. "I can't wait to show the Gamemakers what I can do."

"Great." He's still eyeing me suspiciously. "The score you get today, along with the interview, may determine whether you get good sponsors or not. So give it your best."

"Don't worry, I will." I finish my breakfast and get up; none of us seems to be in the mood to talk. Besides, what could he tell me to do that I haven't done already? I've tried pretty much every weapon in that gym. "Later."

I've almost left the room when I hear him shout "Tell your girlfriend I said hi!"

* * *

Despite having woken up early, it seems today I'm the last to arrive. It doesn't matter; there's practically nothing left to improve, so I'll just look for Serena and join her in whatever she is doing right now. I run my eyes through the room and find her throwing knives with Clove, who seems to have forgotten her little humiliation yesterday- at least she's not pointing her knives at Serena's head. I decide not to join them; I don't want Clove- or anyone else- interfering with our talking.

Remembering my resolution of learning how to swing a mace- not that I think it's that hard-, I make my way towards the station. When I walk past her, Serena looks away from the target she's aiming at, and her face lights up with a smile as soon as she sees me. I'm still choosing my weapon when I sense her coming.

"Good morning, Marvel," she says timidly from behind me. I turn around, smiling; her District 4 accent makes my name sound longer than it actually is- and I don't mind it at all.

"Hi there, Baby-face." Serena turns slightly red and smiles back, while she moves some strands of hair away from her face. "I know I'm handsome, but you didn't need to come so quickly."

She squints at me. "Fine, I'll come back later." She tries to walk away, but I grab her arm- once again, no one is paying any attention to us, not even the instructor- and pull her towards me, bending down so that my face remains within inches away from hers.

"I was only joking," I whisper. "It's good to see you."

Serena blushes deeper and purses her lips, visibly trying not to laugh. "Whatever. Hand me one of those," she says, pointing at the maces.

"Which one?" I ask, without tearing my gaze away from hers.

"Never mind." Serena seems to decide she's had enough, because she frees herself from my grasp, grabs a particularly deadly-looking mace and proceeds to observe it closely. "These things kinda creep me out," she says, running her finger along one of the spikes. "Have you ever used one?" she asks, her eyes wide.

I slowly shake my head, waiting to see what she's going to do. "No."

"Oh, well." She shrugs. "It can't be that difficult, can it?" Approaching the closest dummy, she starts hitting it with the mace over and over; something tells me she's not doing it right, because the mace ends up getting stuck in the dummy's head, and she's not able to pull it out.

Repressing a smile, I walk up to her and easily remove her weapon from the dummy. "I thought this creeped you out," I say, holding out the mace.

"It does." Serena giggles nervously. "Can you imagine if this was a person? Ew."

Something's not right. I lift her chin, making her look at me, and scrutinize her face. There; I hadn't noticed it when I was teasing her, but there's a hint of fear in her eyes. "Serena, are you okay?"

_Serena_

Of course I'm not okay! In about three hours I will be forced to show my best to the Gamemakers, hoping to get a good training score. If I don't, I will have no sponsors. Even if at this point not everyone is aware of my connection to a past victor- though I highly doubt that- they certainly will be, when Caesar Flickerman asks me about Grandma- and he will, trust me.

Because that's how things work- I will be expected to be one of the best, and reach the top eight, maybe even win. And I'm not sure I'm up to it.

There's also the tiny fact that Marvel is making me _really_ nervous; in a good way, but still.

I push his hand away. "Stop it, people are looking." They aren't, but I'm sure someone will catch us if he's not careful. He's not exactly the king of discretion.

"That didn't answer my question."

I run my hand through the hole left by the mace on the dummy's head, avoiding his gaze. "I'm just nervous about the private sessions with the Gamemakers, that's all." My head darts up when he snorts in response. "What's so funny?" I ask coldly. "Just because you are big, strong and full of yourself it doesn't mean I am."

"It's not that," Marvel replies amusingly. "It's… I don't know how you can be so nervous, when you almost just tore that dummy's head off." I raise my eyebrows. "Think about it; you convinced Cato and Clove to let you join us, didn't you? They even let you keep your little pet from District 3. Look around you!" he says, pointing at the other tributes. "You're better than them. _We_ are better than them." His tone softens when he turns back to me. "Just give the Gamemakers your best. I'm sure they will be impressed."

I honestly hope he's right.

* * *

Despite Marvel's words, I still find it difficult to eat anything; once again, I feel like I'm about to throw up. If this is what I'm feeling because of a mere private session with the Gamemakers, I don't want to imagine what it will be like to step on the plate that will take me to the arena.

_What a pathetic Career you are, Serena._

At least I know someone will be cheering for me; Marvel spent the entire morning following me around, making sure I was okay- and teasing me, as usual. _That's way too heavy for you, Baby-face; here, let me hold it for you. It's hot in here, mind if I take off my shirt? Don't you worry, I'm sure you'll be just _marvelous_._

Maybe the puns he makes with his name aren't the best or the cleverest, but I can tell he really cares about me and is trying hard to make me feel better.

"What is taking them so long?" Cato asks impatiently, frowning towards the dining room entrance. "It's not like we have all day!" We do, actually, but no one ever dares to go against anything Cato says. Not even Marvel.

I play with my food a little more before giving up on my lunch. I cast a glance at Marvel- he's not able to hide his good mood, and winks when he notices I'm staring at him; I manage to give him a half-smile.

"Let's agree we'll all show what we're better at." Cato is now giving us instructions, probably thinking he's our mentor. "Clove has already assured me she will stick to the knives; Dave, you do that weird fishing-like thing with the spear; Serena, you use your trident, but you can throw a spear if you feel they're not paying enough attention." I nod, happy that he considers I'm good at something I only learned yesterday. "Glimmer," Cato pauses for a second. "You can try whatever you want; let's face it, your looks are your best weapon." Glimmer doesn't look surprised or annoyed, so I guess Cato is not the first one to tell her this. "Marvel, dude- you know what to do." Marvel smirks, probably already thinking about those spears, all to himself. Besides, he will be the first to be called, so he will certainly have the Gamemakers completely focused on him.

"We're a team," Clove adds, "As long as we work together, whoever sponsors one of us, sponsors _all_ of us. So don't screw up."

She's obviously ignoring what happens after that: when all of the other tributes are gone, our wonderful dream team will turn against each other, and _that_'s when the real show will begin.

"Marvel Gould!" The voice of one of the trainers echoes through the dining room. Marvel's hand touches mine briefly, in one last attempt to calm me down, before standing up.

"Good luck," I mutter, looking up. He smiles, and I can almost hear him say _Thanks. Good luck, Baby-face_. Then he turns around and darts towards the gym, leaving me alone with the other Careers.

_Marvel_

Poor Serena; she really does worry too much. Not even my best attempts- I asked her if I could take off my shirt, for God's sake- at making her laugh seemed to calm her down. I wish I didn't have to go first, so I could stay with her until she got called.

I open the gym door: it would be as empty as it was two nights ago, if it weren't for the Gamemakers- about twenty of them- sitting on the elevated stands; they're all staring at me, holding clipboards and ready to take notes.

"Good afternoon," I greet, giving them my most captivating smile. "I'm Marvel Gould. From District 1." I casually run my fingers through my hair, just to see if it has any effect, and a young female Gamemaker giggles loudly. Sweet.

I have fifteen minutes to make an impression; I decide I'll start with the knives, just to assure their attention, then set the trap Serena taught me, and leave spear-throwing for the big finale. I grab about six knives of different sizes and place myself in front of a target; I may not be the best at this, but if I can do this with a spear, I can surely do it with a knife- or two. Having a sudden inspiration, I take the risk and throw all of the knives within seconds, two each time- they hit the target in different spots, and thankfully none of them missed; two of them are even close to the center.

Some of the Gamemakers clap as I head to a pile of ropes and proceed to set a trap. I don't have time to tangle a net- I'm not as fast as Serena, and much more unexperienced, so I use a net I find between the ropes. Then, in order to test it, I choose a bag from the weight- training station and- why not take this chance and show my strength as well?- toss it to the net; it instantly closes around the bag with a loud rustle.

I'm running out of time, so I rush to the spears without checking if the reactions were positive. Since there is a line-up of three targets, I take the same number of spears and get ready to throw them; I've done this thousands of times- I will not fail.

After all three spears hit the center of their respective targets, I straighten up and turn back to the Gamemakers- this time, each and every one of them is applauding me; then they gather and start whispering and nodding in approval. Finally, a man I presume is the Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane- man, that is some epic beard- gets up and signals me.

"Very well, Mr. Gould, you may go," he says. I bow slightly and, without tearing my gaze from Miss Giggles- I have absolutely no interest in her, I'm just trying to get an extra credit-, leave the room. I can hear another feminine laughter that pierces my ears, and cheerful voices talking.

Hopefully, they will like Serena just as much.

_Serena_

Marvel. Glimmer. Cato. Clove. By the time they call Chip, I'm already sitting with no other company besides David. Unlike me, he doesn't seem worried about his upcoming private session at all- like any thirteen-year-old boy, he's eating what appears to be his weight in food. This time, he's struggling with a piece of cake about the size of my head (I have absolutely no idea how he manages to remain so small and skinny), which is keeping him too busy to talk to me. Not that we speak very often; he still acts shy around me- but he totally worships Cato.

"David Rivers!" David picks up what's left of his cake, stuffs his mouth with it- earning an amused stare from the trainer that just called him- and runs out of the dining room.

For the next fifteen minutes, I sit in silence, completely alone at the Career table, and observe the other tributes; thankfully, they are too concerned about themselves to look back. As always, all of them sit alone, and avoid looking up from their plates. The exceptions are Katniss and Peeta, who insist on showing they are friends and are sitting together; and Thresh, who casts me hateful glances every once in a while- I'm not going to lie, he terrifies me; I regret following Cato's order to try and seduce him. What were we thinking? Thresh obviously despises all of us, and the way Glimmer and I approached him only seemed to infuriate him even more.

"Serena Brooke!" I practically jump on my seat as soon as I hear my name. I walk to the gym, not looking behind once- there's no one left in that dining room that would wish me good luck like Marvel did.

Luckily, the Gamemakers don't seem very tired, despite having been here for about an hour and a half now; they are sitting around a punch bowl, and I bet that half of them will be completely drunk during the last tributes' presentations. As selfish as it may sound, I don't really care, to be honest.

I look up, to the Head Gamemaker (what is that on his face?). "Serena Brooke. District 4." I anounce. He crosses his arms and tilts his chin, telling me I may begin.

Where to start? Something tells me Marvel already showed them my trap- he seemed so happy when he finally learned it; I don't mind, though. I can use the net for other purposes, and most importantly, I can tangle it in a minute- and Marvel can't. So, after I finish my net, I fling it over a dummy- just like I do when I'm fishing- and take hold of two tridents: I use one to pierce the dummy I just trapped- perhaps they recognize it as Finnick's signature move- and impale a tall bag (used for fighting, I suppose) lying behind me with the other. The bag's not heavy, so I swing the trident, tossing the bag across the room.

Remembering what Cato said, I decide to try and throw a spear; I will stay away from knife- throwing- for some reason, I always hit the target, but rarely the center. I'm only good with knives when close to my victim. I mean, dummy. This proves to be a good idea, since Marvel's advice works perfectly and the spear hits the center of the target on the first try. However, I can't throw as far as I would like to, and the Gamemakers will certainly take that in consideration.

"Thank you, Miss Brooke, that would be enough," Seneca Crane dismisses me, gesturing towards the exit. I beam shyly at the Gamemakers and take a bow before heading to the elevators. Apart from a couple of Avoxes, the hall is empty. As the doors close, I take a deep breath; it's over, for now. I still have a whole day before I can start freaking out over my interview; as for the day that comes after that, I'll just pretend it doesn't exist until it arrives.

* * *

**I hope you liked this :) Get ready to chapter 10!**

**(I couldn't help it. I had to include Seneca Crane's beard)**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_Marvel_

I'm so tired. This couch is officially my new second favorite place- right after the swimming pool downstairs. I can feel Gloss staring at me, probably expecting a report on my private session, but I don't feel like talking to him; I just lie there, my eyes shut, and try to fake a light snore, hoping to make him go away.

"Hey kid, wake up," he orders loudly. I open one of my eyes briefly, before closing it again.

"Can't a man sleep for five minutes?" I ask grumpily. Gloss seems to consider I'm being disrespectful, because he approaches me and flips me over without warning, causing me to hit the ground with a thump. "Okay, okay, I'm up!" I exclaim, rubbing my elbow. "You're lucky I didn't get hurt. I will need both my arms in the arena."

Gloss cocks a skeptical eyebrow and doesn't bother to say anything; I get the feeling I shouldn't elaborate- after all, I only fell from the couch, and I'm acting like a whiny kid. "How did you do today?" he asks.

I decide not to give him an evasive answer. "Great; it couldn't have gone better! The Gamemakers even clapped, and I think I got a fan."

He keeps looking at me in disbelief, so I tell him about Miss Giggles. "Yeah, women here tend to be like that," says Gloss, with a sad grin. Is it just me, or is he thinking of someone else?

Gloss recomposes himself as soon as he hears his sister's footsteps. "It's time for dinner," he says unpleasantly. I promptly follow him, ignoring his change of attitude; I've recently realized Cashmere's the one who doesn't really like me- I have no idea why, maybe I remember her of an ex-boyfriend or something like that. Gloss just follows her around because… well, I guess it's because she's his big sister and he doesn't like to hear her nagging either.

I wonder how Serena manages to put up with five older sisters.

Cashmere spends the entire meal incessantly talking to Glimmer; after two minutes I just stop listening to her and focus on my meat loaf instead. After we finish eating, we gather in front of the television- Zama and Diana join us shortly after- so we can watch the training scores' announcement.

A picture of my face, along with my name, is the first to be shown after the symbol of Panem appears on the screen; I only have to wait a second before the number ten flashes below my photo.

_Marvelous! _That's all I can think; now there will certainly be people fighting to sponsor me. I look around, waiting for someone to congratulate me, but I do not succeed. However, Gloss gives me a quick nod before focusing back on the screen, where the number eight is flashing below Glimmer's picture. I wait to see what my future allies get: Cato and Clove both get a ten, meeting my expectations; David gets an eight (apparently his size and tender age didn't convince the Gamemakers). I exhale, realizing I had been holding my breath, when a nine appears along a picture of Serena- she really had nothing to worry about.

The other tributes, including Chip, get rather low scores; Thresh gets a ten- there's no doubt he will be our greatest opponent in the arena- and Rue, the little girl from his district, gets a seven, much to my surprise. I also wasn't expecting Peeta's eight.

Just one more tribute and I can finally take off to my swimming lesson. It feels like an eternity, waiting for Katniss Everdeen's score to show up; my jaw drops when it finally flashes.

I need to find Serena.

_Serena_

Eleven. _Eleven_.

I'm probably overreacting, but all I want is to run out of the room, screaming. Katniss Everdeen got an eleven, and she's not my ally; this means nothing will stop her from killing me on the first day, if she pleases. I wonder what she did to deserve it; it must have been pretty impressive, for her to outrun Marvel, Cato, Clove, and even Thresh like that.

"I'm exhausted. Goodnight," I mumble, without tearing my gaze from the screen, which is now black. No one says anything as I head to my room; as usual, I only stop there for a minute to change my clothes, before sneaking out. I don't care if I'm only set to meet Marvel in an hour; I just need to be alone.

When I finally reach the pool, I enter slowly, starting with my feet, until only my head is above the surface. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and submerge completely; the coldness of the water calms me down and makes me think clearly.

_That score meant nothing. There's six of us and only one of her._

That's it. This time, Cato and Clove will have no other choice but to agree with me; that girl is, from now on, our prime target. I open my eyes when it crosses my mind that I'm already losing my humanity. I'm planning Katniss's death, and I'm not even in the arena yet. What's wrong with me? Was I mistaken all this time, thinking I wouldn't fit in with the other Careers, when I'm just as blood-thirsty as them? Maybe even more?

I'm surprised to see a very familiar face, though a little blurry, looking at me from out of the pool. I immediately raise my head over the water, and swim towards the edge of the pool. "I wasn't expecting you so early," I say happily; it's concerning how Marvel's presence always makes me smile lately.

He runs his fingers through his hair, looking embarrassed. "Well, you see… I figured this would be our last lesson, so I decided to make it a little longer, since I knew there was a chance you would be here. Seems I was right." I blink at how well he knows me now. How did this happen? When I don't say anything, he goes on. "I'm sorry. I can leave if you want me to, and come back later."

"No!" I say quickly. "You surprised me, that's all; of course you can stay." He still doesn't seem convinced- maybe he thinks I consider the moments I spend alone underwater are sacred; that might have been true a few days ago, but now I'd much rather have his company. "Please stay," I plead.

"Alright, if you insist," he says, back to his cocky self, as he joins me in the water. "Admit it, you can't go five minutes without me." I chuckle and send a splash right to his face, causing him to cough and rub his eyes.

"I don't know why you bother about learning how to swim. All that hot air you're so full of should make you float," I scorn.

"Air is not the only hot thing about me, Baby-face. If you know what I mean," Marvel says seductively, his lips forming the half-smirk I already know so well, but that still catches me off-guard every time. I turn my back to him, trying to hide the fact that I'm blushing- again. Marvel's seen my face turn red because of him too many times.

"Oh, shut up," I say, unable to fake annoyance. I cast him a careful glance, as soon as I feel my cheeks turn back to normal. "Congratulations, by the way. On the… ten."

Marvel stiffens behind me, and another glance shows me he's dropped his playful smile. "Thanks." He circles around me so we can be face to face. "You did an awesome job too. I told you there was no need to worry."

I look up at him as I chew on my bottom lip, expecting him to say something more. He _has _to; he can't just ignore the imminent threat. "We have to kill Katniss," he finally blurts out.

"I know," I mutter. He seems surprised that I agreed so fast; I think he still sees me as fragile and innocent, for some reason. As for me, it's enough knowing I'm not losing my mind and turning into a monster- and even if I am, at least I'm not alone. "Can we discuss this later? Let's go for a swim," I turn around and prepare to begin swimming. "Aren't you coming?" I ask. Marvel looks at me with curiosity for a moment, probably wondering why I dropped the matter so fast- I hope he understands I don't want to think about it anymore, now that I know that he's with me- before placing himself next to me.

Marvel is now a pretty good swimmer, despite having only had two lessons, so we spend about an hour splashing around and racing against each other; I win every single time, though with effort- I might be more experienced than him, but he's taller and stronger, so he's almost as fast as me. We both end up panting, leaning against the walls of the pool, with the bubbles that come out of it- we found a button for that purpose- massaging our backs. We remain silent for some minutes, with our eyes shut, listening to the murmurs of the water and the sound of our breathing.

"Have you ever thought about just taking off?" he asks suddenly; his voice is not over a whisper, but it seems to echo loudly through the room.

"What?" I try not to show the panic in my voice; I think that if we were under surveillance we'd have been punished by now, but this is not something you ask out of the blue. Especially inside a Capitol building.

"You heard me." Marvel looks dreamily at the ceiling. "I mean, you live by the sea, don't you? You never wondered what's beyond?"

"I did, actually," I say carefully. "But I never thought about running away."

_Lie._

"Why not?" he asks.

"Because we don't know what to expect," I reply, with a shrug.

"Come on, Panem can't be all there is. I bet the other countries- you know, the ones that existed before the wars- are still out there," says Marvel stubbornly.

I study his face; he's serious. He truly believes that across the sea there are people unaware of our existence- the possibility of them knowing what's going on here and doing nothing is unbearable. But then again, no one can assure me that they are more powerful than us, or that they even exist.

I can't say I don't agree, though; I used to watch the sunset, imagining I could turn into a fish and swim to somewhere far, far away. I decide I'm not being honest with Marvel; the people of my district never tried to run away not out of fear of the unknown- that was the safest answer, the one that doesn't make the Capitol look bad, but makes us sound like cowards-, but for another reason.

"They also won't let us build enough boats." I don't need to explain who _they_ are. "We are only given the wood we need to build one or two small fishing boats a year; sometimes even less. There's no way I could evacuate my entire family, and no one would go very far in the boats we have. The sea ends up being a prison like any other."

There's pity in Marvel's eyes when he looks at me; he may live in the wealthiest district, but it is still a district: Peacekeepers, brainwash, fear, the Games. He was tricked into thinking that winning the Hunger Games is an honor, but that didn't stop him from wondering if there's something better out there; that's something not even the propaganda he was forced to watch could erase from his mind. I wonder if there's a struggle going on inside him right now.

"I never saw the ocean," he confesses. "But I'd like to, before I die."

I don't say anything, but I don't need to; we both know that I will have to be dead for him to achieve that dream, just like he will have to die if I ever want to meet my nephew- one of us has to go, if the other is to survive.

I want to tell Marvel how much I'd love to take him to my district and show him all my favourite places- I can imagine how ecstatic he would be when I took him to the beach; he could even meet my family and friends- I bet he would get along with Sally just perfectly.

But I can't tell him that. Instead, I force myself to look at the giant clock hanging over the door, which tells me it's time to say goodbye: the next time we are close to each other will be in the arena, and there is no place for friends in there, only (temporary) allies. So I might as well say what I have to say now.

"It's getting late, I should be going," I say, feeling a lump in my throat. Marvel just stares at me, his green eyes full of sadness; he understands what I am doing. But I'm pretty sure he's not prepared for what I say next. "Look… I wanted you to know that… I want you to win. If I don't, that is. And that way you could visit District 4 and see the ocean." I'm trying to sound cheerful, but my voice is nothing but desperate, especially when I add, "Just… if you win, please tell my family I love them."

Okay, I'm done. I turn around quickly so I don't have to see his reaction. I'm halfway out of the pool when Marvel grabs my wrist; for some stupid reason- maybe it's the iron grip that almost stops my circulation-, it crosses my mind that he finally realized we can't be friends, and is going to finish me off right here. All he has to do is hold my head underwater for a couple of minutes. But that's just absurd… isn't it?

Then he pulls me down.

_Marvel_

I guess this was bound to happen, sooner or later- from the moment I realized I cared if Serena was involved with Finnick or not; maybe even before that. Something inside me snapped when she said she wanted me to win, and then turned away, seemingly ashamed of herself. Not to mention she was saying her goodbyes and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I let her go just like that.

But I was still surprised to find myself pulling her towards me and desperately covering her lips with my own.

She's startled at first and struggles for a moment in my arms, like a caged bird, before letting herself go and holding on to my shoulders; I grab her by the hips, lifting her from the ground, and deepen the kiss. Serena shivers - I can feel it on every inch of my skin- and wraps her legs around my waist for support, nearly causing me to lose my balance: she lets out a muffled cry of pain when her back collides vigorously with the edge of the pool. She doesn't seem to mind it, because she keeps kissing me back nevertheless.

When Serena buries her fingers in my hair and begins to stroke it, I pretty much lose all of my control- I press her harder against the edge, causing her to moan in response, and let my tongue slide inside her mouth. Her taste is so intoxicating I have to restrain myself from going any further; when I finally manage to pull my lips away from hers, my hands are on her thighs- I have absolutely no idea how they got there- and Serena's are firmly pressed against my back, pulling me closer.

My chest is rising and dropping quickly, much faster than when I raced against her earlier, and my heart is pounding against my ribs- I'm sure Serena can feel it. I look down, to the girl who still hasn't let go: her eyes are closed as she tries to catch her breath, and I'm close enough to see the freckles sprinkled over her nose and her rosy cheeks; her lips are redder than usual, thanks to the recent make-out session, and so inviting…

_She's perfect._

Suddenly, she opens her eyes: now I can see they're not exactly black, but an extremely dark shade of brown; she looks up, confused, as if she's only really seeing me now, and blinks. I smirk, prepared to feel those soft lips again; I know I'm a good kisser, since almost every girl I've ever kissed has begged for more- not that I've done as all of them wished- so I'm ready to hear her say _Kiss me again._

I'm not, however, ready for what she actually does- which is to push me away as hard as she can (Serena is actually stronger than she appears) and run out of the room before I can say a word.

* * *

**This chapter is one of my favorites, for obvious reasons (eheheh). What did you think?**

**I'm really sorry, but I won't be uploading again for a week (_maybe _I'll manage to upload chapter 11, but I won't promise anything) because I have exams and I need to stop procrastinating... I really hate to leave you with a cliffhanger, but when I come back I'll return to my normal pace ^^**


	12. Chapter 11

**I finally finished my exams!**

**Now that I'm back, I'll try to upload Chapter 12 tomorrow... once again, thanks for your reviews :D**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

_Marvel_

_Crash_. There goes a jar.

_I'm an idiot._

_Bam._ I guess I didn't need that table anyway.

_What have I done?_

As soon as I slammed my bedroom door behind me, I was overcome with the realization of what I've done and began destroying everything I laid my eyes on, not worrying for a moment about how late it is and the strong possibility that someone will hear me; they can punish me if they want to. I couldn't care less.

My rage is instantly replaced by sadness when I rip a piece of paper from my wall: it's Jem's drawing, the one that says I'm the world's greatest brother- a brother that comes back victorious from the Games, not one that falls for the wrong girl and freaks out over it.

I put the drawing down and sit on my bed, covering my face with my hands.

Serena will never talk to me again. Glimmer was right- I ruined everything.

"Do you mind keeping it down? _Some people_ are trying to sleep, unlike you."

I look up from my palms, which I had been observing, to find Glimmer standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her fluffy pink robe. "Well?" she asks impatiently. "Are you going to have your little meltdown in silence now?"

Something in her voice makes the rage come back; I jump on my feet, clenching my fists at my sides to stop me from shaking. "Leave," I say, through gritted teeth. "Go away!" I shout, when she doesn't move.

But she still won't leave me alone. Glimmer quietly shuts the door behind her and walks to the center of the room so we can stand face to face. I just stare at her with what I expect is hatred.

"Sit down," she orders. "And tell me what the hell happened."

"It's none of your business," I spit.

"_Tell me._"

I feel my lips forming a demented smile. "Why would I tell you? You know _nothing_. You're just some daddy's girl." I'm starting to laugh when I say "I don't even know why you're here! I'm sure you'll freak out as soon as you break a nail in the arena."

She assures me her manicure is not one of her major priorities in the worst way possible- next thing I know, I'm lying on my bed with stars dancing in front of my eyes. I rub my chin, which is pulsing painfully from Glimmer's punch.

"I'm here because I want to be a stylist, you idiot," she hisses.

"Good for you," I grouch.

"But one that makes an impact, like that guy who's designing for Twelve," Glimmer continues, as if she hasn't heard me. "Not one that thinks that the more naked their tributes are, the best." I'm pretty sure she's talking about Diana, but all I can do is stare at her with my mouth half-open- I still haven't recovered from the collision of her fist. "What?" Glimmer asks scornfully. "Did you actually think you were the only one here with a purpose? Let me guess: be District 1's hero. Honor. Make your father proud. Well then, who's daddy's girl now?"

So this is the reason why Glimmer is so keen on winning the Games. All her life, she's had everything she wanted, except one thing- impressing people with something she's _done_, instead of something she _has_.

She won't be happy when she finds out I ruined our alliance with District 4.

Serena's scared face as she ran away from me pops into my mind; I groan with frustration and roll on my stomach, burying my face in my pillow. Perhaps now that she's told me her touching life story, Glimmer will go away.

"Now would you care explain to me why you're soaked and acting like a baby?" Her voice rings through my ears, showing me my wish hasn't been granted.

"I kissed Serena," I confess, before I can help it; the pillow muffles my words, but Glimmer seems to understand them, because I can hear her gasp.

"You _what_?"

I raise my head, so she can hear me clearer; I'm too tired of this- maybe it's a good thing I can open up with someone, even if that someone is Glimmer. "I. Kissed. Serena."

"When? Where? _How_?" Glimmer seems about to have a panic attack.

"It just happened. She's been giving me swimming lessons in the pool downstairs," I answer blankly. "And I couldn't help it." Glimmer's desire to punch me again is evident. "Spare me the lecture, will you? She ran away. She hates me." I let my head fall back on the pillow, staring at nothing in particular and trying to make the images go away.

Glimmer recomposes herself and frowns. "Alright, that's it." She grabs my arm and pulls me up. "Take a shower and be ready to meet your precious Serena in twenty minutes." She thinks for a moment. "I heard the roof is a nice place."

"She's scared of heights," I mumble stupidly.

"Whatever. The pool will do, then."

"Wait… weren't you supposed to tell me to stay away from Serena, no matter what?" I ask.

"I changed my mind," Glimmer says before leaving the room, without giving me the chance to ask her what she thinks she's doing.

Or why she's doing it.

_Serena_

_No. Please no. I'm so stupid._

I'm panting when I finally reach the safety of my room; I ran as fast as I could. I rest my aching back on the door and let myself slide along it until I'm sitting on the floor; then I cover my mouth with my hand to prevent a loud sob from coming out.

_Please._

I should have seen it coming. After all, we spent our days teasing each other. And he was always so jealous… But I still can't believe it's true. This is just not the kind of thing that happens to me- and certainly not in the Games.

I shut my eyes, in an attempt to hold back the tears, but it only seems to make things worse- instead of making everything go away, I find myself going back to the moment Marvel took hold of my wrist and pulled me towards him.

His lips moving over mine; his hands on my hips: none of that can be real. I force myself to get back on my feet and walk towards the full-body mirror in front of my bed. I observe my reflection; I look a little pale and my hair is a bit tangled, but apart from that nothing's changed. Then I feel it again- the pain on my back. I turn around, twisting my neck to look for the source; I find it: just over my bikini straps, between my shoulders, there's a red mark.

It doesn't take much effort to realize that's the spot where Marvel pressed my back against the rough concrete border of the pool.

I stumble and, not able to take it anymore, fling myself over the bed, covering my head with the sheets, not minding my still dripping hair. I curl up and hold my pillow tightly over my chest- now I wish I had a doll or a teddy bear. Then I burst into tears.

_We must be very careful about who we get attached to._

The words echo through my mind repeatedly; they were all I could hear when I opened my eyes and saw Marvel smiling down at me. I was feeling so dizzy I had to hold on to him a little longer than I should.

_If you start loving the wrong person, you might end up hurt. Do you understand me?_

I start trembling; what would Grandma say? After all her warnings! If she was in my place, she would be planning a million different ways to kill Marvel, not throwing herself into his arms first chance she got.

Weak. I'm weak.

I fall into a light sleep shortly after- I'm aware of the tears still streaming down my face and the sound of someone quietly entering the room, but I'm not able to think clearly. I'm forced back to reality when whoever is now keeping me company pulls away the blankets violently; I hold my pillow tighter and hide my face on the sheets.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," says a familiar voice with exasperation.

I dare to look up, to make sure I'm not imagining it. "Glimmer?"

"Yes, it's me." She doesn't look pleased. "Get up."

I blink, confused. "Wha- What?"

"I told you to get up." Despite her harsh words, Glimmer helps me stand up and gently removes the pillow I had been clinging to. "I can't believe that _Marvel_ did this to you."

I wipe a solitary tear that is stubbornly rolling down my cheek. "Why?" I ask.

"Because I thought you'd know better than to fall for him," says Glimmer, observing me closely. I retract at her words. "Don't give me that look; I'm not blind- I could see the way he looked at you. Although I must confess _you_ caught me off guard. Oh, I don't blame you: he's a handsome guy. A little unstable, though; but then again, so are you."

Somehow I manage to smile at her words. "How do you know so much?" I ask.

"I said I wasn't blind, didn't I? And Marvel told me the whole story." I look away, annoyed by this invasion of my privacy. "Well, he didn't tell me everything. I still don't know why you ran away."

"I thought it was obvious," I utter. "That kiss was a mistake."

"Is he that bad of a kisser?"

Crap. I'm blushing again. "N-no," I stammer. "He's actually a pretty good one."

"Then what's your problem?" asks Glimmer.

I gape at her. "We're tributes," I reply. "We're not supposed to do this kind of stuff."

"We're also kids," she points out.

"So?" _Why is she acting like this? _"That doesn't mean anything! My grandmother would never do what I've done!"

"Stop thinking about what your grandmother would do! You're not her! Jeez, have you ever heard about _seizing the day_?" Glimmer exclaims. Then she recomposes herself and puts one of her arms around my shoulders protectively, like one of my sisters would do. "Why don't you go take a warm shower? Everything will look better after that."

It doesn't cross my mind for a moment that she might have other intentions, so I do as she says and step in the water; Glimmer is right, this really makes me feel better.

I should have had my first clue when I heard her asking from the room, "Do you know what his favorite colour is?"

"I think it's red," I shout over the sound of the water; I recall Marvel telling me that in one of our conversations. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing," she replies. However, I find out Glimmer's "nothing" takes form in a very tight, low-cut red top, white shorts and red sandals, all waiting for me on my bed. "What's this?" I ask, with my towel still wrapped around me, even though I suspect what the answer is.

Glimmer ignores my question and walks up to me. "Let me brush your hair," she pleads. I turn my back to her and let her take hold of my locks. Suddenly, I realize there's still something missing in this whole story.

"Hey, how did you get in here?" I ask.

I can hear the amusement in her voice. "Through the front door."

"Do they actually let the tributes into each other's quarters? Isn't that dangerous?"

Glimmer shrugs. "I guess no one ever tried that." She stops brushing my hair for a moment; I can feel one of her fingers on the sensitive red mark on my back. I glance at her. "Do I want to know?" she asks, raising her eyebrows.

"No," I say, smiling.

When Glimmer finally lets go of my hair, she manages to talk me into getting dressed and applying some make-up. "Now," she says, eyeing me up and down "You're ready to meet Marvel." I must have turned pale, because she adds softly "Don't worry. It will be alright."

"Why are you doing this?" I mumble.

"Because I can't sleep with Marvel crying like a baby next door," she answers, with the hint of a smile. "And _maybe _I think you don't deserve to be miserable." She opens the door and signals me to go after her; I hesitate for a moment, before following her high-heeled, pink-feathered slippers.

* * *

"Hey," I say quietly, still peeking through the door.

Marvel is in the farthest side of the room, leaning against the wall. He looks up when I take some cautious steps inside and eyes me up and down, only to immediately going back to studying the tip of his shoes. Following Glimmer's advice, I force myself to place a smile on my face- though I'm pretty sure my eyes are still swollen and red- and quickly walk across the room, until I'm right in front of Marvel. He just crosses his arms and refuses to meet my gaze, looking at the peaceful water behind me instead; the light reflected on the surface draws blue-ish patterns on his face, making him resemble a sea creature.

I can't believe Glimmer thought this was a good idea. I should have gone back to my floor as soon as she left me with a "_Now_ I'll go get some sleep. Good luck."

"Hey," I repeat, louder.

"Hello, Baby-face," Marvel replies blankly. He dares to look me in the eye, but his have gone cold; he's never looked at me like this, not even when he thought Finnick and I were a couple.

I take a deep breath before making the next move. "Look, I'll cut right to the point- I'm really sorry. It was silly of me to run away like that."

"Alright, you're forgiven," he snarls.

_That's it?_

I just stare at Marvel, expecting him to say something else. _Anything. _He remains silent for a moment, giving me the condescending look I hate so much, before asking "Why are you still here? I'm done talking."

His words have the effect of a cold shower in the middle of winter, but instead of making me go away, they just fill me with rage. "Why are you treating me like this?" I hiss. "I came here to apologize for the way I behaved, against everything I was taught, and you act like you don't even know me? _What's your problem?_" I'm now restraining myself from shouting, and my eyes are starting to sting. "_You_ were the one who kissed me! And though I hate to admit it, given the circumstances, I… I really liked it!"

I'm crying again. Great. Seems _someone _is asking to get killed in the bloodbath.

At the sight of my tears, Marvel drops the attitude. Now he just sounds as hurt as me. "Please don't cry," he begs.

"Too late," I sob pathetically. There's positively something wrong with me. "And it's your fault." He takes a step forward and wraps his arms around me; I think about pushing him away, but I'm so tired of all of this that I just choose to rest my head on his chest. I close my eyes and it crosses my mind this is where I belong- too bad it won't last.

"I was trying to keep you safe," Marvel whispers. I look up at him inquiringly. "I realized it would be better for you if you just hated me; and for a moment, I believed it was true- when you ran off like that after I kissed you. I was devastated at first, but then I figured I'm not right for you; we're mortal enemies, and there's no future for us."

"Don't be s-" I start, but Marvel cuts me off.

"I thought you wouldn't even show up, but suddenly here you are, apologizing for something I blame myself for. And all I want is to kiss you again, believe me." He begins to let go of me. "But I can't. We have to stay away from each other."

_If he thinks he can get away this easily, he's wrong_, I think.

"I don't care if we have no future," I mutter, before hooking a finger on the collar of his shirt and pulling his head down.

Marvel's response to the pressure of my lips is immediate- he tightens the hold of his arms around me, pulling me closer, and I tangle my fingers behind his neck; maybe it's the fact I wasn't caught off-guard this time, but the butterflies in my stomach are definitely getting stronger- I can feel my toes curling with pleasure and my head spinning around. I give in to the curiosity and slip one of my hands under his t-shirt- I _know_ he was shirtless half of the time he spent with me, but I've always wondered… Besides, I don't think we'll have another opportunity for this-, but the second I touch his skin, Marvel lets out a growl I could only describe as animal-like and, never letting go, turns around and pins me against the wall, trapping me.

_My back is going to resent this_ is the only rational thought I can hold as Marvel's hands start wandering up and down, in places and in a way that would earn him a red hand marked across his face, hadn't I been completely out of my mind. Or maybe not- I'm not sure.

"I'm sorry," I pant, when I finally manage to pull away from him to get some air.

"For what?" Marvel asks in a raspy voice; his eyes have turned dark green, and I'm not sure he can see me clearly.

I giggle stupidly. "For ruining your resolution of staying away from me."

He buries his nose in my hair. "You just couldn't keep your hands off me," he scorns, his words muffled against the skin below my ear. I want to think of a witty comeback, but Marvel's lips are now moving down my neck; I feel my skin burning, and my head is spinning more than ever, but I can't bring myself to ask him to stop.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Marvel_

I wake up as soon as the sun starts shining through the narrow, high-set windows. I cover my eyes with my free arm, trying to block the light and hoping to fall back to sleep until Marcus calls me.

_Wait. My room doesn't have narrow, high-set windows._

I take my arm away from my face; why can't I move the other arm? I carefully raise my head before getting up on one elbow and looking around. My whole body is sore- apparently I slept on the tile floor next to the swimming pool. I immediately find the source of the numbness on my left arm: Serena is deeply asleep on it, her head resting on my chest and her long hair spread all over me. Her lips are slightly parted, letting out a light snore, and she's firmly clutching the front of my t-shirt.

I can't believe we _both_ fell asleep here; thank goodness today is not a training day and our crews won't probably be awake for the next hour. Serena mumbles something in her sleep- it sounds a lot like "pretty dolphin". I try not to laugh; there's no sign of the girl that almost drove me insane last night. We didn't go further than kissing- okay, maybe a little more than _that_-, but it appears we got so tired we couldn't make it back to our quarters. Actually, now that I think about it, I recall Serena falling asleep in my arms while muttering something along the lines of "Finnick is going to kill me".

Careful not to wake her, I change my position so that my face remains within inches away from Serena's. I stare at her, taking in her peaceful look, before placing a kiss on her forehead. She shivers, but since she doesn't open her eyes, I deduce she's not completely awake yet; so, after studying her face a little more, I kiss her lightly on the lips. This time, she sleepily opens her eyes; I smile down at her, and she frowns, probably wondering why I'm by her bed. I take this chance to pull her on top of me as I roll on my back; this seems to startle her, because she groans and hides her face in my neck.

"Good morning, Baby-face," I whisper. "Did you sleep well?"

Serena just holds me tighter in response; I don't mind it, and proceed to stroke her hair and her back, waiting for her to be fully awake. After a while, she lets out a silenced "Your neck smells good."

"What?" I ask, amused.

Serena raises her head so she can look at me. "Your neck smells good," she repeats. Then she widens her eyes. "I'm not dreaming."

It's not a question. "No, you're not," I say calmly. She tries to get up, but I stop her just by putting one arm around her. "It's still early," I inform her, tilting my head towards the clock. "We have about an hour until they freak out and start looking for us."

"What about-" she begins, but I silence her by placing a finger on her lips.

"I'm pretty sure there are no hidden cameras," I say. "And even if there are, two tributes making out are not exactly their main priority."

I feel Serena relax at my words; she rests her cheek on my chest and starts running her finger over my arm. "I wish we could have more moments like this," she confesses.

"Why not?" I ask. "We could come down here tonight."

She gives me a skeptical look. "There's a reason yesterday was supposed to be our last night together," says Serena. "I'll be spending half of my day with Finnick, and I don't think he will dismiss me before I'm so tired I just crash on my bed. Not to mention he always knows when I'm up to something."

My stomach twists with jealousy, in a way I'm already used to. She's _mine_. It's not fair that this guy gets to spend more time with her than I do, when he has his Annie waiting for him back home. "Promise me you'll try," I plead.

"Alright, but don't get your hopes up. If I'm not here until midnight, you might as well go back to bed." Serena sighs and gets on her feet; I hesitate before doing the same. "I better be going."

"See you later?" I ask, before pulling her by the waist and brushing my lips against the curve of her neck. I smile against her warm skin when I find something that wasn't here last night, just by imagining her mentor's reaction when he sees it.

"Maybe." She chuckles and kisses me quickly; I don't think I'll ever get used to the feeling of her lips on mine. Then she spins on her heels and leaves, her hair waving behind her as she runs.

* * *

I run into Glimmer just as I'm approaching the dining room door- she eyes me up and down, taking in how messy my hair and clothes must look, and grins knowingly.

"Good morning," I say innocently. She just shakes her head, still smiling, and enters the room; I follow her, careful not to show how happy I am- that would certainly lead to Gloss asking embarrassing questions.

"You'll start your coaching session with me," Gloss informs me, as I sit down for breakfast. "I'll be telling you what to say in your interview."

"Can't I just improvise?" I ask, still hoping he'll say yes. I'm not very good at following a script.

"Of course not," he snorts. "We need to decide your approach. You can't just burst in there and make a fool of yourself by saying the first thing that comes to your mind."

Ouch.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stay, I have to go," Cashmere interrupts. "Glimmer, dear, Marcus is waiting for us for the presentation session. I could do it by myself, but he's more experienced in this kind of things." She turns to Gloss. "See you at lunch." Then, with the dirty look she always saves for me and a flip of her blonde curls, she walks out of the room. Glimmer follows her for the coaching session with Marcus, who will probably take this opportunity to take a nap- after all, Glimmer is an expert in etiquette. Except when she's with me, of course; my chin is still sore.

"So," Gloss starts. "How do you want to be presented?"

I think for a moment, before answering with a cocky smile: "I guess… I could be charming."

Gloss bursts out laughing. "Are you sure you can pull it off?" he asks, smiling.

I shrug, not even a little bit offended by his reaction; Gloss doesn't seem to be mocking me, he's just amused by how overly confident I sound. "Why not? I gained a lot of female fans at the parade, and my training score wasn't bad. Do you remember Miss Giggles?"

"Oh yes, I almost forgot your undeniable appeal to the ladies," says Gloss sarcastically. "How's your invisible girlfriend?"

Now _this_ bothers me. "How many times do I have to tell you? I. Don't. Have. A. Girlfriend."

Which is somewhat true (sadly): Serena is not my girlfriend, at least not officially- it's not like I came up to her and asked her if she wanted to. For now, I'd rather think she's something more than that.

"Uh uh," Gloss raises his eyebrows. "Are you trying to tell me that's not why you have been sneaking out every night since we got here?"

_Serena_

I run my fingers through my hair in an attempt to untangle it and make sure my top looks decent- Marvel has _very_ curious hands- before joining the others, who are already having breakfast. "Morning, everyone," I say cheerfully.

Too cheerfully.

Finnick's fork falls loudly on his plate the moment I sit down; Alida and David glance at each other, visibly trying not to laugh, while Brenna politely asks Mags if she would like to visit the roof and get some air.

I decide to ignore their reactions and act naturally, though I'm wondering what could be wrong. "Great, I'm starving." I reach for the green bread, always a presence on our table. _Hmm, it tastes like home_. "So, what will we be doing today?"

Alida looks around before answering my question. "I will be coaching you about presentation until lunchtime," she informs. "Then I will leave you alone with Finnick for your content session," she adds, with a hint of disappointment.

I swallow my bread and nod. This probably means Mags will have the day off- as it should be- so she can rest; it feels kind of strange, having such a big crew- there are districts with only one mentor, and here we are, with three of them. I cast a glance at Finnick, who seems to be restraining himself from saying something; he was supposed to be David's mentor, but since he already knows me so well, they figured it would be easier if he switched places with Brenna. Even though I'm relieved for having a familiar face around- and this is not counting with Mags-, I can't even imagine how he feels like, preparing me for the Games. Thinking about this almost makes me regret my secret meetings with Marvel.

Almost.

"Alright, I'm finished," I say, as I quickly stand up; I don't like the look on Finnick's face, and the sooner my session with Alida starts- though he will be there- the better.

"Hold on a second," Finnick turns to Alida. "You go ahead, I need to have a word with Serena."

"But-" Alida looks at me with concern.

"Please," Finnick is now giving her his most seductive smile, which happens to be the most dangerous one. "It will only take a moment. We'll be right up."

Alida beams, delighted by the way he addressed her. "Okay." Then she turns around and flickers towards my room.

Finnick's smile drops as soon as she leaves. "What is that?" he asks angrily.

I widen my eyes, genuinely surprised. "What is what?"

"_That._" Sensing my growing confusion, Finnick adds "That thing on your neck."

I frown. "I don't have anything on my neck."

"Oh really? See for yourself."

I don't need to hear it twice: there's a muscle pulsing in Finnick's jaw, and he's firmly crossed his arms. I get up and approach one of the mirrored walls by the window; it's the first time I see my reflection since last night, but I was hoping I wouldn't look that messy.

_Oh my God._

It seems Marvel didn't think it was enough to let a red mark on my back- which is luckily hidden by my hair: there's a dark bruise on my neck, pretty evident despite its size.

"I… had an accident during training," I say calmly, turning to Finnick with a smile. "It's kind of a funny story, actually. You see, I was playing with a mace, and I tripped-"

… _and it buried itself right between my eyes. Why am I such a bad liar?_

Finnick tangles his fingers on top of his head and groans. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I can recognize a… a _love bite_ when I see one, you know?"

I feel not only my face, but my whole body heat up, suddenly very aware of that little purple spot. I can still feel Marvel passionately tracing my collarbone with his mouth, and the warmth of his breath as he whispered in my ear. _You're mine, Baby-face._

Unconsciously, I touch my chapped lips, causing Finnick to frown even more. "Who was it?" he asks harshly.

I slowly shake my head. "I'm not telling you. I'm sorry, Finnick, but this is just too personal."

He stares at me for a moment, his mouth half-open. "You don't need to," he says triumphantly. "It was the boy from One, wasn't it? Martin, or Marvin…"

"Marvel," I say indignantly.

I only realize I just gave myself away when I see Finnick smiling broadly.

_Shit._

_Marvel_

"How do you know I have been sneaking out?" I ask, not even bothering to deny it. I'm far more curious to find out how Gloss has so much information.

Gloss smiles knowingly. "I have my methods," he replies, as he leans back on his chair. It's obvious he's not revealing them to me. "Now please tell me… who is she?"

"I'm not going to discuss this with _you,_" I scorn, grinning.

"Then I will just have to guess. Glimmer?"

Eric's overly excited face pops into my mind. "God, no!" I exclaim, genuinely horrified; Glimmer may be able to fool everyone with her beauty, but not me.

"I won't give up. The girl from Two?"

Me and Clove? That would be the fastest way to a painful, bloody death- courtesy of Cato. That is, if Clove herself didn't kill me first.

"Three?" Gloss smiles mischievously. "_Four_? I watched the rerun of the opening ceremonies, and I must tell you, that girl looked amazing. I really liked her outfit… or lack of thereof."

Gloss's words make some of the rage I used to hold against him return; how _dare_ he speak about Serena like that?

He must have read something in my expression, because his grin grows wider. "So… District 4 it is. What's her name?"

"That's none of your business," I say stubbornly. First Glimmer and now Gloss? Don't they have anything else to do?

Gloss raises his eyebrows and gets up. "Oh, yeah? I think that what- or who- the tribute I'm coaching does is actually my business." I clench my fists; Gloss has an ability to act all nice and turn into a total dick out of the blue. "Now… is it necessary of me to go ask _her _mentor to know her name?"

"Her name's Serena," I say, through gritted teeth. Just the idea of Finnick Odair even suspecting there's something going on between me and her is repulsing, at the least. "And I haven't been… _doing_ her."

"See? It wasn't that difficult, was it?" Gloss mocks, giving me an evil grin.

I don't answer right away, shooting him a dirty look; if it wasn't for the fact that he's my mentor, I could easily forget he's older than I am, with those blonde curls and blue eyes. I need to remember myself that he's over twenty years old, and probably much stronger, to stop me from breaking his nose. After a while, in which he keeps smiling annoyingly at me, I ask "Weren't you supposed to be coaching me about my interview?"

"Weren't you supposed to have it all figured out?" he points out.

_Touché._

However, Gloss brings in some recorded interviews of past victors- mostly from District 1, but he wants me to learn more about the approach I chose, so there are interviews from pretty much every district- and I watch them gladly, since he's (finally) quit discussing my love life and we are now sitting in silence, except for some occasional remarks about what's on the screen.

One of the interviews he shows me is Cashmere's: she actually did resemble Glimmer, both in behavior and looks- except for the eyes. Caesar Flickerman was completely stunned by her beauty, charm and contagious laughter, and so was the audience. There's no trace of the woman that basically spits on my face every time she sees me.

"Why does she hate me so much?" I ask casually.

Gloss stares at me inquiringly, perhaps wondering why I care if his sister likes me or not: I'm ready to assure him I really couldn't care less, and that I'm just curious.

"Honestly? I have no idea," he finally says. "She's usually kind to the tributes we mentor; I don't know what came over her."

I nod; there's obviously something he's not telling me, but I'm not like him; so whatever it is that is keeping Cashmere from having a normal conversation with me, is none of my business.

* * *

**So, what did you think?**

**I know it's taking am awfully long time for them to go into the arena, but I wanted to develop Marvel and Serena's relationship as much as possible... anyway, I really enjoyed writing Marvel and Gloss's bromance (and Glimmer's shipping abilities) :p**

**(Right now I'm working on a Cashmere fanfic that explains why she hates Marvel- it's the one based on Beauty and the Beast)**

**I know I keep saying this, but thanks for reviewing! :)**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Serena_

"No, no. You have to shake your hips, like this."

Alida is teaching me how to dance, because for some reason she thinks it's important; but who knows, maybe she's right and Caesar Flickerman will invite me for a waltz. The problem is she's forcing me to dance in stilettos- sure, I can walk in heels, perhaps even run, if I really have to, but _dance_? I'm sure putting on a show for Finnick, who is making no effort to hide that he's about to burst out laughing.

I'll just let him laugh; I don't want him to get angry again. It took a lot of persuasion- and some tears too, something I'm not really proud of- to stop him from storming out of our quarters and having "a little talk" with Marvel's mentor, Gloss.

They're not exactly friends, but I've seen them together in past Games, and they're about the same age; not to mention they won in similar ways. I remember watching the edition where Gloss came out victorious- he fooled everyone because he looked younger than fifteen, and resembled a little angel- a little angel that had a liking for slitting throats.

And Finnick wanted to tell him that I have been doing "improper things" with Marvel.

"Finnick, please dance with her and show her how it's done," Alida pleads with exhasperation; she's so nervous that she's wrapped her braid around herself and is chewing on the tip. I must be the worst dancer in the world, for her to push me into Finnick's arms like this.

He promptly does as she says, but doesn't get any better: I may now be able to move around without stumbling since Finnick is holding me, but I keep stepping on his feet. "Come on, Reena," he teases. "How are we supposed to dance at your wedding?"

"Ha ha. Very funny," I say, as I avoid crushing his foot for what would be the fifth time. However, I am not amused in the least bit- at the word _wedding_, Marvel's smiling face came to my mind.

_You've known him for three days and at least one out of you two will die. Control yourself, for God's sake!_

"Alright, I quit," Alida says desolately. "We've been here for almost four hours and you keep tripping!"

"It's the shoes," I whine. "Why can't I dance barefoot? Why do I have to dance _at all_?"

"Because… Because it's fun! And you never know what to expect in your interview," she insists.

Personally, I'm more concerned about what I should expect in the arena, thank you very much.

"I have to talk to Felix," Finnick interrupts. "We'll start the content session after lunch, okay?" Without waiting for my answer, he walks towards the exit, stopping in the doorway for a moment in order to look for something in his pocket- most likely a sugar packet- before he leaves; I notice Alida has stopped nagging and is staring at the back of his neck in complete adoration.

"Alida?" I ask carefully when I'm sure Finnick is out of hearing range.

She doesn't tear her gaze away from the door. "Hm?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she says dreamily.

I take a deep breath. _Why me?_ "Do you… do you like Finnick?"

Alida blushes deeply. "N-No, of course not," she stammers unconvincingly. "I mean, he's amazing, and handsome, and-and… but he has Annie Cresta."

"You know about her?" I whisper, surprised by how heartbroken this girl from the Capitol sounds.

Alida nods vigorously, a tear trying to escape from her heavily made-up eye. "Yes. My friend Alva told me."

I have absolutely no idea who Alva is, but I put my hand protectively over Alida's. She sniffs loudly and wipes her nose with the back of her other hand (so much for teaching _me_ about presentation). "Have you ever been in love?" she asks suddenly, recomposing herself.

"No," I answer, quickly looking away.

_You're a liar_, tells me my racing heart. _A liar and a fool._

* * *

After lunch, Finnick takes me to the sitting room; I was worried he would want to talk about Marvel again, but it seems he's forgotten about it. Maybe I should have suspected he was up to something; it's just not like Finnick to let me get away this easily.

"Felix came up to me, and he asked me to present you in a way that… matches your outfit," he says, looking unpleased.

"W-What?" I ask, confused.

Finnick sighs. "He wants to keep the mermaid theme." I drop my face on my hands, picturing myself being carried to the stage. What's with Felix and mermaids? And blue? And blue mermaids? "Oh, don't worry," Finnick hushes. "He's assured me you will be wearing an actual dress. But you will have to act… what was it? Oh yeah, 'seductive and innocent, but deadly'."

I give him a _You've got to be kidding me _look, as I remember my pathetic attempt to seduce Thresh. "And how will I do that?"

"Smile a lot. Bat your eyelashes. Flip your hair. Act as if you don't have a brain. I don't know!" Finnick is now laughing. "Do I look like a beauty queen to you?"

"Actually, you do. _Oh my God, it's Finnick Odair! He's so dreamy! I'm going to marry him one day!_" I squeal mockingly in a Capitol accent.

The rest of the lesson goes surprisingly well, especially when compared to the presentation session; Finnick seems to have put aside his deep dislike for Marvel, and much to my joy, he dismisses me right after dinner.

_This means I can go meet Marvel!_

A little bit past eleven, I put down _How to find your perfect lipstick colour-_ a truly fascinating book-and tiptoe my way through the corridor; it is as quiet as usual, which means everybody's asleep by now.

I'm almost reaching the elevator door when I feel someone coming from behind me and putting an arm around my waist.

"Put me down!" I shriek, as Finnick flips me over his shoulder- it's no funny business, being afraid of heights and having my head hanging about six feet over the ground.

Oh, and there's also the fact Finnick just caught me sneaking out.

_And the award for the stupidest tribute goes to…_

"Put me down _now_!" I repeat, lowering my voice but attempting to kick him in order to mark my words, as Finnick starts walking towards my room. When he reaches the door, he tosses me inside unceremoniously and locks it.

"Stay here," he orders from the other side of the door. "I'm having a little talk with your _friend._"

It takes me a moment to realize who he's talking about; then I remember I told Finnick about the swimming lessons earlier, when I was stopping him from confronting Gloss- he was just waiting for me to be stupid enough to try and sneak out again. But how would I know he would lock me in my own room and go to Marvel himself?

"What are you going to do to him?" I shout, in panic.

But no answer comes, meaning Finnick is already gone.

_Marvel_

I've been here for about an hour, after an intense etiquette lesson with Marcus (I can now say with proud I'm officially a gentleman), and she's not here yet. Maybe I should go to bed.

_But she said midnight, so midnight it is._

"She's not coming."

My head darts up as soon as I hear the voice, familiar to me from spending years hearing it on television, and recently in much more unpleasant situations. I cross my arms over my chest and tilt my chin menacingly, knowing it will be of no use- Finnick Odair is older, stronger (more than Gloss, probably), and if he manages to push me into the pool I'm a dead man.

But still, if he wants a fight, he'll have it.

"Relax, kid," he says, holding out his palms. "I came here to talk."

"Then talk," I snarl, annoyed by the way he said _kid_. I'm not a child!

"Look, I don't know what you think you're doing with Serena, but it has to stop," he says angrily, causing me to snort; I've faced many enraged parents before, but this is just ridiculous.

"And why would I do that?" I ask scornfully.

Finnick seems to be restraining himself from hitting me. _That makes two of us, then_. "She's not like you, you know?" I raise my eyebrows, not understanding what he means by that. "She might have trained, and you may think she's a Career, but she's… she's innocent."

This causes me to grin widely. _Innocent_? She showed me to be anything but innocent last night.

"Oh, you think it's funny? Let me tell you this: Serena thinks she's safe, that she doesn't get easily attached to people, but she's wrong. What's worse, I think she's forgotten where she is and what she is set to do. She's a dreamer, and I want you to stay the hell away from her, since I can't seem to make her stay away from you, before she does something really stupid, like falling in love."

_Who does this guy think he is?_

"If she wants to be with me, I won't be the one to stop her," I say cockily. "She doesn't have to follow anyone's orders, much less _yours_. You're not exactly an example of virtue, no matter what Serena says."

Finnick clenches his fists and takes a step forward, but he restrains himself in the last moment. "She's like my little sis-"

"_Like your little sister_, yeah, I know. So what do you say you stop acting like her freakin' father? She's seventeen, she can make her own decisions," I say wearily.

He runs his hand through his hair, just like I do when something annoys me. "She's not thinking clearly. She can't see what you are doing."

Well, this is new.

"And what exactly am I doing?" I ask, amused. This guy is completely out of his mind.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Finnick points me an accusing finger. "You're messing with her head. Giving her hickeys. Convincing her to sneak out at night to give you _swimming lessons_?" His face is now twisted with anger. "She thinks you're in love with her!"

My smile fades and I take a step back; I wasn't expecting this.

How deep are my feelings for Serena? I've never put much thought into it. Am I fond of her? Sure. Am I attracted to her? A lot. But do I love her?

_Hell yes._

This makes everything much, much worse: I will never, in a million years, be capable of killing Serena. Now I can only hope that someone else does it- though I'll guarantee that someone doesn't live much longer- or, if by any chance the Games come down to the two of us, that she doesn't feel the same way, and that she will have no remorse in killing me. Somehow, thinking that I might be slain by Serena hurts less than thinking she may not like me as much as she's shown. Compared to it, the idea of having a trident sticking out of my stomach is almost laughable.

I stare at Finnick, feeling my blood run cold; for the first time in my life, I can't think of anything to say. "What?" he asks, grinning. "Did you think I wouldn't find out your plan? That strategy is not new to the Games."

I finally find words. "There's… There's no plan," I say, trying to sound confident.

This wipes the grin off his face. "What do you mean?"

"It started as a joke," I say, embarrassed. "But then… she grew on me."

I swear that as soon as I tell Finnick this, all the blood drains from his face. "You're not pretending," he says, clearly not believing it; he seems about to tear out his hair. I nod slowly, confirming his words, and Finnick drops his arms in defeat. "So what are you going to do about her when you get to the arena?" he asks.

I shrug. "I don't know."

"Are you capable of killing her?" he asks accusingly.

"No," I mutter, choosing on that moment to study the bottom of the pool by my side.

He lets out an ironic laugh. "You say that now, but when you get there all you will think about is how to save your own ass."

"I mean it," I say indignantly. "I'm still ready to do whatever it takes to win, but I won't be the one to kill her, I guarantee you."

Finnick seems to struggle for a second, deciding if he should believe it or not. Finally, he demands harshly: "Take care of her whenever you can."

"I will, don't worry," I assure him in the same harsh tone. Then we look each other furiously in the eye, before he storms out, leaving me alone with my own thoughts.

* * *

**So... this chapter came out shorter than I thought. However, the next one will be up soon!**

**As for Alida's friend Alva, she will be in one of my next fanfics... I just can't resist connecting all the little details and giving hints like in the Marvel movies (how ironic) :p**

**Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_Marvel_

"Shh, you'll wake him."

"But he looks so cute when he's sleeping!"

"_I know_, right?"

I open my eyes, and immediately restrain myself from pulling the blankets over my head at the sight of those three red wigs: Spica, Juno and Dabria are leaning over my bed, watching me in adulation. I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for the two-inch orange eyelashes and drawn-on bright green eyebrows- I can't tell if they've altered themselves to look alike or if they are actually sisters- which, I must confess, kind of terrify me.

They force me into the bathroom so I can take a shower- one of the advantages of being a boy is that my beauty treatment is not as elaborate as the girls' one, since it doesn't include shaving every inch of my body and fixing my hair- and when I come out wrapped in my towel, the three of them are staring at me expectantly, with their torture devices- I mean, their prep tools- up and ready.

One of them- I think it's Dabria- takes care of my face, shaving what I was proud to call my beard (well, thanks a lot) with a buzzing, light-emitting razor, and draws golden patterns around my eyes, while who I presume is Juno does the same on the back of my neck.

"Oh, my," she purrs. "I can see you've been training _a lot._"

I cringe, as I sense her pointy nails on my skin; she doesn't seem much older than Serena, and I can't help but compare her warm touch to this invasion of my personal space- these girls would eat me alive if they had the chance.

After about two hours of cutting and polishing my nails- as if anyone's going to notice them- and taking care of my skin, Spica- now I'm sure it's Spica because one of the others has just addressed her as so- brings in a gold bottle.

"What's that?" I ask, not sure if I'll like the answer.

"It's for your hair, handsome. Don't worry, it will come out as soon as you take another shower." She winks, making her face look even more bizarre than it already is.

Spica pushes my head back, and for a while I can't see anything but the room's ceiling, as she pours a cold lotion on my head and proceeds to spread it on my hair.

"Okay, you're ready. Now you just have to wait for Zama," one of them announces proudly.

I almost have a stroke when I look in the mirror- I look just as strange as them. They have dyed my hair, and now it shimmers in a shade of pure gold. There's gold everywhere- around my eyes, my chest, my nails (_they've painted my nails?_). Even my _eyebrows _are golden.

I force myself to smile; these three girls may be thinking I look like the perfect man- I can see that by the way they stare at me dreamily-, but I think I look disgusting.

Maybe I should just change my name to "Marvel Gold".

_Serena_

In the morning, Luvena wakes me by grabbing my shoulder and shaking me softly. "Wake up, honey," she says worriedly. I'm lying on something hard, so I don't have to open my eyes to realize I fell asleep by the door while I was waiting for Finnick to come back.

"Oh, you poor thing," says Brencis as I sit up and sleepily rub my eyes. "You're not used to sleeping on a bed, are you?"

What a stupid question. Does this also mean I have something against proper night clothing?

"Oh, I am… but the carpet reminds me of the sand back home," I lie, earning solidarity sighs from my prep team.

They prepare me a bubble bath suitable for a queen, filled with scented oils and special lotions with very specific effects (one of them is supposed to make my soles look whiter), and while I am there Pascal spray-paints my tan lines with the exact same shade as my skin. "Oh, dear," he gasps. "What is _this_?"

Great. I forgot about Marvel's little gift.

"It's a bruise," I reply, as I play with some abnormally large pink bubbles that are floating around my knees. "I had an accident when I was training."

It's the same lie I told Finnick, but they, unlike him, seem convinced, and their only concern is how they are going to cover it: concealer, scales, or gills? Thankfully, they decide to use concealer, and when I finally step out of the tub there's no trace of Marvel's kissing skills. Then they proceed to work on my face: they apply fake green eyelashes that resemble corals, and a tiny white pearl on the corner of each of my eyes; my lips become Felix's favorite shade of turquoise blue, matching the highlights Luvena is doing on my recently re-waved hair- my prep team says it will remain loose, to take advantage of its waves "so it can look like the ocean".

Everything about me is meant to resemble the sea: Pascal paints my nails the same colour as my lips, and carefully proceeds to draw white foam on the tips; Luvena and Brencis are drawing scales on my arms, shoulders and back, though without completely covering my skin (thank God).

"Now we wait for your dress," Brencis says cheerfully.

_Marvel_

After hours of listening to my prep team incessantly talking- sometimes about me, even though I didn't pay attention to half of it- it is actually a relief when Zama finally steps in with my outfit.

"Hush, the three of you," she shouts; Dabria, Juno and Spica instantly become quiet. "Newbies," Zama sighs, rolling her eyes. "Well look at you! If I didn't know better, I'd say you were born and raised here."

This is the closest Zama has ever come to a compliment. "Thank you," I utter, relieved that my prep team has finally shut up.

"Here's your outfit," she says; I peek into the bag she's holding, and I'm not surprised to see more gold. My outfit consists of what one of Flint's History books calls "a marching band military-style uniform"; I bet he's going to laugh really hard at me- and possibly get me a new nickname, like Sergeant Goldilocks- when he watches the interviews tonight.

I think I'm being unfair to Zama; I mean, the outfit is not that hideous- it's pitch black, including the boots; there's a belt covered in gold that matches the buttons of my jacket and the pattern that goes down the side of the pants- which is the same as the one around my eyes. There are also two fringed golden shoulder pieces, something Zama calls "epaulettes". "We need to make your shoulders look broader than they actually are," she says unpleasantly, as she pats my hair, which has been combed back, in order to assure it doesn't stick out of place.

I glance at my reflection- ugh, I look like a joke of a toy soldier- before leaving my room, closely followed by my team. Glimmer is already by the elevator, along with Diana, Cashmere, Gloss, and Marcus. She's smiling, but I can see the annoyance in her eyes. I immediately find the source: Diana has put her in a tight-fitting gold gown; the skirt is long enough to cover her feet, but the fabric is completely see-through.

"Shut up," she hisses, as I make an effort not to laugh. She will be the first to be interviewed, so all of Panem will be focused on her face, as well as on her…

Well, you get the picture.

I hold out my palms. "I didn't say anything… but nice outfit, by the way."

"Same to you," Glimmer replies ironically. "I like the epaulettes. They really bring out that fabulous hair of yours."

This shuts me up as we head to the Training Center lobby; some tributes, along with their crews, are already there. Gloss grabs my arm and pulls me to the front, where I'm promptly joined by Glimmer.

"Oh my God, who let the tracker jackers out?" I turn around to see Clove right behind me- made even more scary than usual by the black make-up around her eyes-, cackling at her own joke. I ignore her, choosing to look around instead- neither Serena nor David are here yet, from what I can see; which isn't saying much, since the lobby is quickly becoming filled with people, all prepped up, making it difficult to find anyone.

I feel my lips forming a smile when she finally arrives- not even all the blue make-up she's wearing could hide how beautiful she really is; not to mention she looks simply stunning in that dress. Her eyes meet mine, and she frees herself from Finnick's arm, saying something I don't understand- but that causes him to roll his eyes-, and runs to me as fast as her high heels allow her.

_Serena_

I still have to wait for thirty minutes before Felix finally arrives with my dress; from the way he's clutching the bag and practically jumping up and down with excitement, I'd say he considers it to be his masterpiece.

But then again, he always acts like this.

"Is it blue?" I ask innocently.

Felix looks at me as if I've just asked him if I'm going naked. "No… What made you think that?"

I shake my head, causing my now two-coloured hair to flip around. "Nothing," I say, amused. "I was just guessing."

He opens the bag and holds out the dress so I can see it before I get dressed. I can't help but smile broadly- it is truly the most beautiful dress I have ever seen- a pearly white, strapless gown that fits tightly until knee-height, where it flares to reveal a tulle underskirt; there's a scale pattern made of gold and white sequins going from the sweetheart chest line to the place where the underskirt starts; the same goes for the back, except the pattern goes down to the hem of the dress.

Felix helps me to put it on, and then shows me the shoes; I hesitate before stepping on a pair of stilettos with shell-shaped forefronts, but he doesn't notice.

After I slide my hands through a couple of fingerless fishnet mittens that match the gold in the dress, I'm ready. Or so I think.

"One last thing," says Felix. He signals Luvena and she walks up to us with a box in her hands. She opens it and reveals dozens of tiny plastic white flowers. "Lillies," Felix announces proudly, as Luvena places them carefully all over my hair.

There's a knock on the door. "Serena, are you ready?" calls Finnick's voice from the other side. "Alida says we're running late."

I thank my prep team and follow Felix out of the room; Finnick is waiting for me in a simple black suit- he doesn't need much to thrill the crowd; he's not even wearing a tie, having let the first two buttons of his shirt open. He reaches out his arm, silently asking me with his eyes if I'm still mad at him. I reluctantly take it, careful not to look him in the eye and pretending I don't see Alida trying to hide she wished she was in my place.

Though I highly doubt she would still wish that tomorrow.

The rest of our crew is already in the elevator, waiting for us. David looks adorable, with a sea-green suit and a tie shaped like a fish; his prep team was patient enough to paint each of his freckles the same colour as the suit, and the tips of his unruly curls have been dyed white. Since I'm wearing high heels, we're about the same height.

Even though we're not the last ones to arrive, the lobby is already swarming with tributes and their respective mentors, stylists and escorts. I run my eyes through the room filled with oddly-dressed tributes (I don't even want to think how I must look like to them); I immediately find Marvel, who apparently was looking for me as well, since he smiles widely as soon as he sees me. I can feel Finnick stiffen, so I guess he noticed this too.

"I'll be right back," I tell him, as I let go of his arm. Finnick rolls his eyes, clearly understanding what I'm doing.

"Hurry up," he says, before I rush to Marvel. "You'll be live on television in a matter of minutes."

I run with difficulty through the compact mass of people, until I find the front of the line; Glimmer is the first, and pretty much everyone around is focused on her figure, which is evident beneath her gown. "Lucky you," she whispers hurtfully, eyeing my completely opaque dress.

I give her a sympathetic look before turning to the boy behind her. "Marvel," I pant, taking in how strangely handsome he looks, even with his hair dyed gold. "Are you alright?" I observe him closely, searching for any bruises or cuts that might tell his encounter with Finnick last night didn't go for the best. Oh, I trust Finnick, and I don't think he'd actually hurt him; it's Marvel's short temper that worries me.

"Of course." He smirks. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Well," I mutter, embarrassed. "Finnick said he would have a little talk with you."

"He did." Something in his voice makes me look up; he's still smiling, but there's pain in his eyes. "Why did you tell him about us?"

My jaw drops. "I didn't have to," I scold. "My neck spoke for itself. And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!"

"Oh." Marvel smiles mischievously. "Sorry about that."

Naturally, he doesn't look sorry at all.

"You better be," I hiss. "Finnick locked me in my room!"

"That sounds wonderful, Baby-face," says Marvel playfully. "How about I give you another hickey, and then join you when he locks you again?"

I open my mouth to call him the worst name District 4 has to offer- seriously, here I am, worried about him, and all he does is harass me- but then I feel someone touching my arm. "We have to go," David says anxiously. I turn my back to Marvel and follow David to my place in the line, between him and Chip.

The music starts playing and the twenty-four of us step to the stage, under the bright lights of the City Center and the constant attention of the cameras.

* * *

**First of all- thanks for your reviews (oh God, I keep repeating myself)! **

**What did you think of the chapter- and the outfits? I actually had a lot of fun imagining them a little more Capitol-like than in the movie, even though I liked those ones as well. I do not, however, hold the credit for Serena's dress- it's Sherri Hill Dress 2018, aka The Dress I Would Give Anything To Have.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

_Marvel_

"Good evening!" Caesar Flickerman shouts enthusiastically in his strong accent. "I hope you're all comfortable in your seats," He pauses for a moment, as the thousands of people that are standing up laugh. "Because tonight we have a group of very special guests- the tributes of the 74th annual Hunger Games!" The crowd cheers loudly and I smile, because at any moment the cameras may focus on me. "If you haven't picked your favorite yet, well- it's time to do so!" Caesar continues. "I mean, have you _looked _at them?" He addresses the audience in a tone of confidence, though still loud enough for his voice to be heard all around the City Circle. "If I had known about those gorgeous outfits, I would have bought a new suit!" Caesar lets out his signature contagious laughter; the crowd- and some of the tributes, too- join him, because the day Caesar Flickerman stops wearing his suit is yet to come. "Now, without any more delays, let's meet our very first tribute- directly from District 1, Glimmer!"

Glimmer walks confidently to the center of the stage and shakes Caesar's hand before turning to the crowd and blowing a kiss; she has just assured the attention of every male in the country. Caesar gains the same expression he had when he interviewed Cashmere years ago- and he has reasons to, since Glimmer is making an awesome job, I have to hand it to her: her smile doesn't slip when he compliments her dress, and she even says she wishes she could wear that kind of clothes every day. However, what anyone who has met Glimmer can hear is _I hate it and I could do so much better_.

After three minutes- in which Glimmer has the chance to show how "sexy" she can be- the buzz goes off and she graciously returns to her chair. If Caesar is disappointed that his time with Glimmer is over, he doesn't show it. "Now let's give a big round of applause to District 1's Marvel!"

With my best smile up and ready, I walk up to him and shake his hand eagerly. The lights, the cameras, the bizarre spectators… none of that disturbs me. I have a chance to shine, and I'm taking it. "It's great meeting you," I say pleasantly.

"Same to you, my friend," he replies, as we sit down. "So tell me, Marvel… What do you think of the Capitol?"

"I think it's amazing. I couldn't be more excited to be here." I keep smiling, because I know the sponsors have their eyes set on me.

Caesar laughs. "Of course, what a silly question! You volunteered, didn't you?" I nod. "So much courage! I bet all the ladies back in your district are _craving_ to be your girlfriend! Isn't that true?" he asks with a playful smile.

"I seriously hope so." I turn to the audience and wink. "And not only in my district, right?"

Some female voices shriek and whistle in response, and I even hear one of them shouting _I love you!_ I lean back on my chair, smirking, and try to ignore the sound of someone clearing their throat coming from Serena's way.

"What do we have here? Could it be a new heartthrob? Mr. Odair better watch his place!" Caesar sounds delighted. "Plus, you've got one of the top training scores. It's not every day that you score a ten! What can you tell us about it?"

I avoid thinking of Katniss Everdeen and her precious eleven. "Well, let's just say that in addition to my spear-throwing skills, I had a few other advantages." I glance at the Gamemakers, hoping to catch Miss Giggles's eye. "So you better watch out for me!" I say with a smile.

_I'm sorry, Serena. I'm just playing my part._

"Ooh, I'm sure we're all wondering what you mean by that," Caesar gives the crowd a meaningful look. "But I'm afraid we're running out of time, so I have one last question: how did your family react to you volunteering and what would you say to them if they were here?"

My mother crying comes to my mind; I shake that thought, focusing instead on my father's happiness when his oldest son finally becomes a victor. "They couldn't have been more proud," Suddenly, the bracelet Crystal gave me- it hasn't left my wrist yet, just like I promised- seems to weigh a hundred pounds. "Because they know I can win this; and that's exactly what I would tell them if they were here- that I will try my best to become a victor, and no one will be able to stop me."

"Then good luck, Marvel," Caesar says sincerely, as the buzz goes off, announcing it's Clove's turn to impress the Capitol.

She sits in front of Caesar like a queen on her throne, and acts like her usual self- only a bit exaggerated- showing both her sharp- not to mention twisted- sense of humor and her eagerness to win; Cato makes sure everyone notices and bets on him, by describing with excruciating detail his killing methods; by the time he's through, I swear even Caesar and some of the Gamemakers look a little ill, in spite of all those years having fun with the Games. I take the District 3 interviews to glance at Serena, who is sitting gracefully, waiting for her turn, and obviously making an effort to look interested. I admire her for that: Chip is stammering so much that despite Caesar's attempts, no one can understand a word he says.

"Thank you, Chip," Caesar finally says, visibly relieved, as Chip tremulously returns to his chair. "Our next guest comes from District 4- let's hear it for Serena!"

Serena hops to the center of the stage as she beams and waves at the spectators, her dress glittering and drawing my attention to how delicate she looks in it. Caesar kisses the back of her hand gallantly and helps her sit down; I straighten on my seat- I wouldn't miss this for the world.

_Serena_

Well, this is it- my last chance to get sponsors before the Games. No pressure.

I smile at Caesar. "I love your lipstick," I praise; he gets the cue and tilts his head back, laughter escaping from his lips, which are as blue as mine.

"Thanks, but I think blue suits you better," he replies. I turn my head to face the crowd and chuckle adorably (at least I _hope_ I look adorable). "You are indeed a very beautiful young woman, Serena- and that has led to some buzzing around the Capitol. I think I can speak for everyone when I ask: exactly what kind of relationship do you have with Finnick Odair?"

"Why do people keep asking that?" I giggle, feigning exasperation. The screens are now showing Finnick's face, as he tries hard not to laugh. "We've told you _a million_ times we're like brother and sister! We grew up together!"

_It's not my fault people in the Capitol have a short memory and a liking for scandals._

Caesar holds out his palms. "Okay, okay, sorry I asked!" Then he leans over and whispers- as if he thinks he's not going to be heard in every house in Panem: "But seriously, do you have a boyfriend?"

I bite my lip and look shyly at the lamp-filled floor under my feet. "Do I have to talk about it?" I ask.

"Yes!" Caesar exclaims, as the crowd cheers in approval. "I've been told there are hundreds of young men out there waiting to know if they have a chance!"

"Well, in that case," I say, as I play with my hair. "I must admit I'm single."

I can almost hear Marvel gritting his teeth, but I don't mind. He started it! Does he really think he's the only one allowed to be jealous? Well, he's not. I didn't like that little stunt with the Gamemaker- they even had the nerve to focus the camera on her- _at all_.

_Okay Reena, stop overreacting and pay attention to your interview._

"Do you hear this, gentlemen?" The male cheers are as loud as the female ones were for Marvel. "So what do you say, Serena? Do you think you could ever be in love with a mere Capitol boy?"

_As if._

I shrug. "Why not?"

More applause. A glance in Marvel's direction shows me he's turning red with rage.

"One more thing." Something in Caesar's voice tells me he decided to save the best for last. "A little bird told me you're not exactly a newbie to the Games." He turns to the confused audience. "For those of you who don't know, Serena here is the granddaughter of Marina Kelby, who won the 10th Hunger Games, mentored by her best friend Mags: _The Miracle of District 4._" A sound of understanding passes through the spectators; the screens are now showing alternately images of Mags- who seems to be asleep, despite the noise- and footage of the moment Grandma won the Games. It's horrible to watch, but I keep smiling nevertheless. "Sadly, your grandmother passed away five years ago, isn't that correct?" Caesar asks sympathetically.

"Yes," I answer, with my throat dry. Why do they keep showing Grandma killing that boy?

"If she was still alive, how do you think she would feel? You scored a nine, after all. Would she be proud?"

_No._

"Yes," I repeat. I make an effort and manage to give Caesar a radiant smile. "I mean, I'm following her footsteps. And she gave me some tips in case I ever got reaped, so if I were you, I'd bet on me!" I add jokingly.

Caesar laughs and kisses the back of my hand again as the buzz dismisses me; I return to my seat and focus on David, who has just greeted Caesar and is already gaining fans with his cuteness- not to mention his fabulous tie. David manages to captivate the crowd by showing a side of him I had never seen; he is actually quite the comedian- and even if he wasn't, any lame joke instantly becomes hilarious just by looking at him.

I find the rest of the interviews relatively boring- after a while, they all start acting the same: half of the boys try to be charming, most of the girls try to be sexy, and some of them try to be witty, or funny. It is only after a quiet, crippled boy I had barely noticed is interviewed that I start paying attention again.

I feel my heart tighten when Rue, the little girl from District 11, sits down for her interview. She's so small! I think that no one, not even in the Capitol, likes to see a twelve-year-old in the Games. How could they? They watch it for the blood and the show, and Rue can't give them any of that- I wonder how she got a seven, and what she really means when she says she's hard to catch.

Thresh proves to be what I suppose is Caesar's worst nightmare, whose bubbly behavior, usually so refreshing and appealing, seems out of place and desperate when combined with Thresh's refusal to demonstrate any emotion.

Then it's Katniss's turn: there's a lot of giggling and twirling- though I must admit her dress is gorgeous; it makes mine look plain and washed-out in comparison- and I wonder if I gave away the same impression in my own interview. As Katniss speaks about her sister, the City Circle falls silent; I swear the only sound I can hear is Cato scratching his head somewhere by my left.

One last interview and I can finally go back to my room and take off this dress- it might be pretty, but after a while it just becomes uncomfortable. Peeta connects immediately with Caesar in a way no other tribute was capable of- not even David, with his jokes. I try to stay focused, but it's getting hot under all these lights, and I can feel a headache forming. Right now, all I want is to go for a swim, and maybe rest in Marvel's arms.

"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning… won't help in my case," I hear Peeta say, referring, from what I can apprehend, to the girl he has a crush on.

"Why ever not?" I've never seen Caesar so interested.

_Water. Cold, clear water._

"Because… because… she came here with me."

The pieces only come together when I see Marvel amusingly raising his eyebrows and Katniss's horrified face.

* * *

I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over what the tributes from Twelve do. It's just… I think it was brave of Peeta- or Lover Boy, as I heard Cato and Clove call him after the interviews-, to confess his love for Katniss like that, for all of Panem to see. God knows I couldn't do the same with Marvel, not even when we were alone.

And God knows that neither could he. That is, if he feels the same way I do.

I'm pushing through the mass of bodies,- a difficult task, since the lobby is full of reporters, all of them wanting a picture or an exclusive interview with our mentors and stylists- trying to reach one of the elevators. Marvel is somewhere behind me, but I can't just turn to him and have the conversation I know he wants to have- we're in public, after all. He joins me in the elevator when we finally make it through the crowd, and stands next to me in silence as we wait for more tributes to arrive: two boys- I can't recall which district they are from- followed by a frowning Katniss.

I can't help but eye her with envy; after all, not only the audience loved her- and how could I forget that eleven? - but also everything I hear about, no matter where I turn my head, are "the star-crossed lovers". I bet the sponsors are overcome with excitement right now, craving to know how this tragic love story will end.

I'm staring at Katniss's jewel-covered dress, wondering how much effort it took her stylist to make it, when Marvel notices the direction of my gaze and leans over to whisper, so low I almost can't hear him: "You're still the most beautiful."

I actually don't care if a girl I will try to kill tomorrow looks better than I do- okay, maybe a tiny bit-, but I still give Marvel a thankful smile. I open my mouth to tell him we need to talk, but he seems to have read my thoughts. "In two hours." His lips almost don't move; I highly doubt anyone can hear us.

The doors open on the first floor and he leaves; I keep Katniss and the two boys company for a few more seconds before I reach my own floor and walk straight to my quarters.

* * *

**Only a chapter left until they get to the arena! What did you think of the interviews?**

**I thought I should take some time to personally thank all the people who have been reviewing this story... since I'm still figuring out how to work with this site (it's weird, I know), I'll just play it safe and write it all here.**

**So, a special thanks to geranium08, blackraven88 and Luli Cullen for reviewing more than once, I really appreciate it ^^. Also, another big thank you to Doreandrix, summerheat11, Lyssa and Jules :) Oh, and I'm really glad my user name is found to be funny xD**

**By the way, I drew a cover for the story (well, just the flower)... it's a bit small, so I'll try to put a link to a bigger version, but I'd love to get some feedback on it as well :)**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_Marvel_

"_And not only in my district, right?_"

Gloss snorts, amused. "Nice job, kid," he praises. He's showing his nice side, since the rest of our crew is nowhere to be found- Glimmer is probably downstairs, surrounded by reporters. I grin in response, but I don't feel happy; I would have contained my cockiness if I had known how Serena would respond to the way I behaved in my interview. I just want to shout at my gold-haired self on the screen to shut the hell up.

"_Well, in that case I must admit I'm single._"

"That must have hurt" Gloss raises his eyebrows and gives me a meaningful look.

"We were playing our parts," I grunt.

"_Because… because… she came here with me._"

"Turn it off," I ask unpleasantly. I've had enough of these guys. _Star-crossed lovers_. I don't believe that story for a moment, no matter what everyone says; they only like them because they're from the same district and claim to have been in love before the Games.

What if I had, all of a sudden, changed my mind about what to tell Caesar and spilled out my feelings for Serena? They wouldn't be pleased, would they? Just because she's from another district and the last thing they want is proof of a bonding between two districts outside the arena.

"I'm going to bed," I announce after some minutes of silence, though Gloss knows perfectly well where I'm going.

"It's a big day tomorrow, you better get some sleep," he says sarcastically.

"I know," I say, turning my back on him.

His hand lands heavily on my shoulder, forcing me to face him, and much to my surprise, Gloss smiles in a non-mocking way. "Good luck, kid. Make your district proud."

"Thanks. And don't worry, I will," I reply; Gloss may be a pain in the ass, but he's still a much better mentor than his sister.

Without waiting to see if anyone else arrives- I'll be seeing Zama tomorrow, unfortunately, and Marcus is probably already dealing with Glimmer's sponsors- I turn around and head towards my room, where I take a shower. Remembering what Glimmer said the first night we got here, I look for a specific button, and in a matter of minutes all that awful gold, including the one on my nails- _thank God_- is gone. I put on a black t-shirt and jeans I find in my closet and step to the elevator. There are muffled voices coming from the sitting room, which means I'm not risking running into anyone: tonight, I'm meeting one person and one person only.

If she doesn't get held back by that excuse of a father, of course.

_Serena_

Finnick has his back turned to me, as he's facing the window and observing the streets below. I knew I'd find him here, just like he knew I wouldn't stay in my room for long. We'll both take this chance to say goodbye in private, which is great- it was kind of embarrassing when Alida started sobbing hysterically against my shoulder and I found myself crying with her.

"Fin," I call. Finnick turns around and knits his eyebrows as he observes the white dress I changed to after I took a bath; all my make-up is gone, but I decided to keep the lillies on my hair for a little longer. It's quite obvious I'm not planning on going to sleep so soon. "Please," I beg, when Finnick doesn't say anything.

He strides towards me and gently places his hands on my shoulders. "You can go, if you want to. It's your last night of freedom, after all."

"I can still win," I protest.

"I know," He says, with a sad smile. His expression tells me he doesn't consider himself free, despite having been out of the arena for nearly ten years. "Just… be careful."

I can tell Finnick's not talking just about the Games. I hug him tightly as I feel more tears stinging my eyes. "Send my love to Sally and my sisters. And Annie. And Mags." I ask, while I start to let go of him.

"I don't think that will be necessary," he says, trying to sound optimistic. "But don't worry, they'll get the message."

I begin to walk away. "Fin?" I repeat.

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

_Marvel_

I can tell she's been crying again, even though she's trying to hide it- she has the same expression my mother had when I found Jem holding her hand the day before the reaping. I decide to keep the harsh words I had saved to reprimand Serena about her interview for myself. She's here, isn't she? I need to stop acting so jealous.

I guess Serena has decided to do the same, because she's not nagging about Miss Giggles. Instead, she's just standing there, staring at me as she chews on her bottom lip, apparently unsure on what to do; I walk up to her and cup her face with my hands, studying it: she's not crying anymore, but she's trembling. I place a small peck on her lips, and she flings herself into my arms; I hold her closely, feeling how her tiny figure fits perfectly against mine.

"What are we going to do, Marvel?" Serena asks against my hammering heart.

I begin to sit down as I hold her hand and pull her onto my lap.

What are we going to do? That's a great question.

"I don't know," I answer sincerely. "I mean… We can't keep doing this when we're in the arena, as much as I'd like it."

"I'm terrified," she confesses. "That I won't make it through the bloodbath and this is the last time I see you."

"How many times do I have to tell you? You're better than you think. Only the weak die on the first day."

"What if _you_ don't survive the bloodbath?" Serena doesn't look me in the eye, as she plays with one of the flowers on her hair.

"Are you calling me weak?" I ask, annoyed.

Her head darts up. "God, no!" Serena widens her eyes. "It's just… you know. I'm worried! What if… Thresh catches you?" I burst out laughing, but I admit it has come through my mind that if I'm to be killed by anyone out of the Career pack, that would be Thresh. If the guy happens to catch me without my spear, he'll snap me in half. "What's so funny?" Serena asks indignantly.

"Baby-face," I say softly, as I drag her closer so that her face remains within inches away from mine. "You worry too much." She opens her mouth to protest, but before she manages to say a word I lower my lips to hers; the moment she starts kissing me back, it dawns on me we will never have another chance to do this again, so I seize her waist desperately, as if that would keep me from losing her.

"Marvel," Serena gasps as I lay her down on her back. I look at her inquiringly and she gazes back at me with those dark pools she calls eyes; I see my own desire reflected in them, and it takes me a lot of will not to simply rip off her clothes. "I… I-" But she decides not to finish her sentence and pulls me down for another kiss.

I climb on top of her, careful not to squash her ribs, and begin to run the fingers of my right hand through her hair, while my left hand wanders over her body, caressing every curve, each bone that happens to stick out. In the meanwhile, Serena appears to have decided to return the hickey I left her, judging from the way she's sucking on my neck, causing me to let out an involuntary groan- she really knows what drives me crazy.

It is only when I try to put my hand up her skirt that she seems to come back to her senses; she grabs my wrist so firmly I can feel her nails digging on my skin. "I'm sorry," I mutter. "I got a little carried away."

"It's alright," says Serena, looking sheepish as she tries to compose herself- which is nearly impossible, seen as I'm still on top of her, with one of my hands on her leg.

We sit up, leaning against the wall; Serena tries to fix her hair, which is all messy, with the white flowers tangled on her locks. I realize I'm holding one of them- it must have fallen out while we were rolling around on the floor. "Here, it's yours," I say, holding it out.

Serena smiles broadly. "You can keep it, if you want."

She's obviously joking; however, I take off Crystal's bracelet, and with a little twist here and there, the flower ends up hanging from my wrist along with the heart. "Now you're a part of my token," I say proudly.

"Wow, how did you do that?" Serena asks, sounding interested.

"My parents own a jewelery store, so I need to know these things," I explain. Then, feeling the need to excuse myself, I add: "I know it's not the manliest of activities, but-"

Serena snorts. "Are you kidding me? Would you rather be like Cato, who probably spends his free time beheading kitties?"

I caress her cheek, laughing. "I guess not," I say, as I wrap one of my arms around her. Serena rests her head on my shoulder and sighs.

"I hate this," she suddenly blurts out. I shoot her an inquiring look. "The Games. What they do to us," Serena explains. "My grandmother always said… that the only thing worse than being _in there_, constantly fearing for your life, is when you're finally out and you're forced to relive it every single day for the rest of your life."

She's trembling again, even more than before. "You really do miss her, don't you?" I ask gently, as I cradle her in an attempt to calm her down. Serena lets out a cross beween a sob and a hiccup and nods vigorously. Since I still have both my parents, I can't even imagine what it is like to lose the person who raised me.

"I would give anything- _anything _to hear her tell me a story one last time." Serena is whispering, and she seems to be talking more to herself than actually to me. Suddenly, I have an idea.

"Why don't _you_ tell me a story?" I ask. As long as she's talking, it will keep her mind busy. "You promised, remember?"

"Okay," Serena says in a strangled voice, seeming surprised. Then, she starts telling me the story of the little mermaid- sounds appropriate, given the circumstances in which we met, not to mention the outfits her stylist designed for her-, at first shakily, but then her voice steadies as she forgets about the arena and is transported back home.

As she goes on about a girl who gave away her voice- by having her tongue cut off just like an Avox, no less- so that she could walk on land, I start thinking of my mother, who used to read me and Crystal tales before we went to sleep every night; of course they hardly ever included princesses- Crystal was never the girly type, thank God-, but hearing Serena do the same makes me miss my own home, something I thought would never happen.

"But she couldn't kill the prince, since she loved him so much, so she flung the knife far away into the waves and threw herself out of the ship, into the cold sea she had come from," Serena continues dreamily. "And so she turned into white, salty sea foam."

"She died?" I ask, when she finishes her story and stands there, smiling. "Weren't they supposed to… I don't know, live happily ever after or something?"

"It's about sacrifice." Serena sounds a bit annoyed. "She died because she fell for the wrong boy and couldn't tell him she loved him," she mumbles. Something in her voice sends my heart into a frenzy- could she be talking about herself?

"Well, I must say that prince wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed," I snicker.

Serena chuckles. "You're right, he wasn't." She presses her lips together, looking at something behind me; I follow her gaze and my heart drops when I realize it's two in the morning, and we need all the sleep we can get for tomorrow. "We have to go," she says blankly.

I kiss her longly before taking her by the hand and leading her towards the elevator. The ride to the first floor seems even quicker than usual: all I want is to stay there with Serena, and forget that this might possibly be the last time I see her.

* * *

**Okay, since I got asked to update, here it is! I hope you liked it, and once again thanks for your reviews :)**

**I had more things to say, but I'm uploading this really quick and I don't have time to do so, so it will have to wait for the next time...**

**(maybe I should go easy with les sexy scenes, though... sigh)**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_Marvel_

Despite everything I went through last night, I still wake up with the same feeling I had back in the day of the reaping: I'm ready to become a winner, and I don't fear for my life, not even for a moment. It's Serena I'm worried about; but I bet she will show the murderous side I know she is hiding- I've seen her train, after all- the second she steps out of the plate.

Zama takes me to the roof before the sun rises- I know she's pissed off about being forced to wake up so early, though it's difficult to tell from all that plastic surgery- so I can be picked up by a hovercraft; I was the first to get up, since we're being taken to the arena by order of districts.

Once in there, a man dressed in white appears and asks me to stay still so he can place my tracker; I promptly reach out my forearm, and try not to cringe when the needle penetrates my skin, marking me like livestock. Then, an Avox takes me to a room where I can have breakfast; Zama joins me, and even though she doesn't eat anything, she remains silent, which is a bit unnerving. I'd rather have her nagging about how awful I am going to look without make-up in the arena.

The ride to the Stock-yard- I mean, Launching Room- takes about thirty minutes. Zama doesn't say anything as I- after brushing my teeth and taking the last shower I will have in weeks- put on a hooded, dark green jacket over a lighter- shaded blouse and tawny pants. The jacket she gives me keeps me warm, as do the boots, so I presume I can count out a desert. I can't hide my excitement over what awaits me; everything I do, from now on, will be televised- and I know I will shine. I just know it.

"What's this?" are the first words Zama utters, referring to my bracelet. I can't believe she only noticed it now.

"It's my token." Then, remembering what happened to Glimmer's ring- Glimmer's _poisonous _ring, to be correct (what a sneaky smart-ass she turned out to be)- I ask worriedly "I can take it with me, can't I?"

Zama examines it. "I guess so." She, unlike me, is not worried at all, and can't wait to go back to bed. "This looks familiar," she accuses, pointing at the flower I took from Serena's hair.

"I picked it up from the floor," I say innocently; Zama just rolls her eyes in response, but lets go of my bracelet.

I sit on a couch, exercising my legs, until a female voice echoes through the room. "Attention tributes, prepare for launch."

Zama gives me an awkward pat on the back as I step on the metal plate, shaking with excitement. "Uh… Good luck." She thinks for a moment. "Marvel."

I nod, glad that for once she didn't call me Marcel. As a glass cylinder lowers around the plate, I look up eagerly. I can't wait to see the arena.

_Serena_

"Are you nervous?" Felix asks casually, as if I'm not about to be thrown into the arena. I just nod and cross my arms, rubbing the fabric of my blue jacket; I feel light-headed and I almost can't hear him over the sound of my heart hammering against my ribs. "You don't need to be." Felix presses a button and a cocktail appears on the small table; somehow, I manage to get distracted from my current situation and begin wondering if it's really that normal for Capitol people to have cocktails this early in the morning. "You were wonderful yesterday!"

"Really?" I ask shakily, just so he doesn't feel like he's talking to himself; not that I think it makes any difference.

"Of course! I'm sure you have tons of sponsors!" he says cheerfully. I give him a small smile; something tells me his faith on my sponsor-gathering skills is slightly exaggerated: yesterday, the country was focused on the Girl on Fire and the star-crossed lovers. No one will remember the girl with the scaled dress.

"_Attention tributes, prepare for launch._"

My heart jumps painfully in my chest, and for a moment I find myself hoping that I'm having a heart attack, as Felix fixes my braids- he thinks they're "extremely fashionable right now", as if I don't know the reason- and guides me towards my platform. "Good luck. I'll be cheering for you!" he exclaims, and places a sticky kiss on each of my cheeks. I'm so stunned by this that at first I don't notice the glass cylinder lowering around me; when it finally traps me inside, I look back one more time, feeling an urge to beg Felix to let me out.

_I don't like confined spaces!_

However, he has his back turned to me, as he helps himself to another cocktail.

_Marvel_

The sun is so bright it temporarily blinds me; all around me, the other tributes are rising on their plates, seeming as confused as I do.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy- fourth Hunger Games begin!"

As Claudius Templemith's words echo in my head again and again, I narrow my eyes, trying to discern the objects displayed by the golden Cornucopia. Most of them are inside bags, backpacks and boxes, so there's no way I can know exactly what they are. But there's a wonderful set of spears waiting for me behind a pile of blankets, right next to a couple of tridents; I guess Serena will be happy to know.

_Thirty seconds._

I look around in an attempt to find her; it takes me a while, because all of the tributes are wearing the same clothes, except for the colour of the jacket.

_Twenty seconds._

There she is, wearing a deep blue jacket and her hair in two longs braids on both sides of her head. She's got her eyes set on the Cornucopia- she's certainly spotted her weapon and is not keen on risking to lose it.

_Ten seconds._

This is it. I lean forward, smiling at the idea that back in my district, people are looking at me on the screen and cheering.

_Three._

Marvel, the victor.

_Two._

Watch me, Dad.

_One._

_Serena_

I leap forward without thinking as soon as the gong sounds, and I find myself running towards the Cornucopia, along with God knows how many tributes; what I do know is that I've never ran faster in my life.

But then again, I had never run _for_ my life before.

I jump over the stray, invaluable objects spread around in front of the Cornucopia, as I dart towards the big prize. _I need that trident_. I'm one of the first to reach the pile of supplies; the trident I'm craving is still a few feet away, but there's a very promising set of knives right in front of me.

However, before I can reach my hand to take hold of them, the girl from District 10 appears behind me and tries to knock me out by elbowing my side. I spin around and bury my knee in her gut, but she's taller than me and easily grabs my hair, pushing me onto the floor; I fall on my back, bumping my head on a backpack, but I still manage to kick her behind the knees. This proves not to be a wise decision, since it causes her to fall next to me, and she's managed to seize one of the deadly-looking maces I practiced with back in the Training Center.

She never gets the chance to smash my brains in, because a second later there's a spear sticking out of her chest. Without looking for the source- I know all too well where that spear came from- I get up, grab the knives, and run to the tridents, which luckily remain untouched. Around me, there's only chaos- screams, clashing weapons, horrible ripping sounds; from the corner of my eye, I can see Marvel killing tributes left and right, but I manage to keep that off my mind.

A boy in a dark orange jacket- revealing he's from District 5- arrives at the same time I do, clearly intending on taking _my_ weapon, and without hesitating I collide with him, knocking him off balance, pull his head back and slit his throat with a sharp move. The warm blood drips from my fingers, but I don't mind it as I dispose of his body and finally get my trident, as well as a black backpack that happens to be leaning against it.

"Serena!" The familiar voice of someone who is not a child and not yet a man makes me turn around; David is running to me, with a spear in his hands and his big blue eyes wide open, set on the remaining trident. "Hand me one of th-"

Suddenly, David's expression freezes and he falls to his knees, landing face first on the grass with an axe buried on his back. Behind him is the District 7 girl.

As I stare in horror at the corpse of poor little David, the girl turns to me with another axe in her hand; I remember she had a low training score, yet she still managed to kill a Career, meaning she was just pretending to be weak- I don't have to guess who her mentor was. Before she can even aim at my head, I throw my trident; it plunges itself right in her stomach, but she doesn't die right away. Keeping an eye on the other trident- David won't be needing it anymore- I decide to throw one of my knives to finish her off. She's still holding on to that axe and I don't want to get my foot chopped off for getting too close.

Unfortunately, as I said before, my aim with knives is not the best. That, adding to the dizziness caused by the sight of David dying right in front of me, makes me miss my target, and the knife spins freely through the air, almost hitting Rue, who is running quickly to the woods while holding a slingshot; I place one hand on the side of the Cornucopia in an attempt to steady my vision, and wipe the sweat on my forehead with the other.

I don't know how I manage to see him, given my current state. All I know is that before I can retrieve my trident from the District 7 girl's stomach, Thresh darts towards me with a murderous look upon his face- that's all it takes to send me running away in panic.

The lake would be the safest place to go; he probably can't swim. But the lake is too far, so, without bothering to take anything else from the Cornucopia, I run as fast as I can to the trees, with only a backpack and two knives.

I enter the forest, tripping on the tree roots and panting as I try to get the leaves away from my face; I can hear Thresh's heavy steps as he pursues me; he's quicker than I am.

If I can't reach the lake through the woods, I'll die for sure.

I have to keep running for about twenty minutes before I finally catch sight of the sparkly surface of the water. Luckily, the lake is large enough to cover a big part of the forest, so it will be the perfect way to escape my fellow tributes. My pursuer has fallen behind, but I can still hear him, cracking the branches on the ground.

I stop for a second to take off my boots and socks and, tying them to my backpack, I dive fully clothed in the water, and proceed to swim swiftly along the line of the forest, but still far enough from the border so no eventual enemy can reach me if I get spotted. I don't see anyone, though I swim all morning. After a while, the lake grows smaller and smaller, until it becomes a set of small ponds, separated by areas of dry land on which I end up walking barefoot.

Finally, when I can't walk anymore and I reach what I deduce is the last pond- since it's so small it could be called a slop-, I sit on a rock, breathing heavily, and look around me: all I can see are trees, trees everywhere, and no sign of a human presence. I'm probably miles away from the Cornucopia, and for now I'm safe.

_Marvel_

I ignore the look of panic on the District 6 boy's face as I stab him repeatedly; this is my third kill, if we don't count the girl from Three, who I speared before Cato finished her off. The other tributes have realized there's no use in trying to defeat us: even Glimmer seems to have finally learned how to use her bow, and anyone who steps in her way gains an arrow in the leg, at the very least.

I run to the other side of the Cornucopia, closer to the woods, to gather more spears. I get there just in time to see the girl from Seven throw an axe to Dave's back; the poor kid dies immediately, and I prepare to throw a spear at the girl, whose next target is a horrified Serena. However, she solves the problem on her own, with the use of her trident. Then, she stumbles for some reason, leaning against the Cornucopia for support, and the knife she throws flies in the opposite direction. I decide not to worry about her, though- she seems to have recomposed herself, and she's doing a good job without my help. Besides, I can't just run around protecting her in the middle of a bloodbath- and grab a backpack and a knife from a pile of supplies.

My decision of worrying strictly about myself only lasts for a few seconds, though, because next thing I know, Serena is bolting towards the safety of the trees, with a very angry-looking Thresh chasing her. Without hesitating, I follow him- I'm sure Cato, Clove and Glimmer can take care of the remaining tributes and won't even notice I'm gone.

The leaves and branches make it diffifcult to see anything, and I end up losing track of Thresh moments after I enter the forest. I restrain myself from calling Serena's name- that would be the dumbest thing to do, given the circumstances; I resort to running in the direction of the lake- or, to be precise, in the direction of where I think the lake is- since that's the first place Serena would go.

After about ten minutes, a loud rustle by my left forces me to stop. I raise my spear, preparing to kill whoever it might be, but I only realize it's Thresh returning to the Cornucopia when he's already too far away. I lower my weapon, disappointed that I missed the chance to off the guy, and suddenly it hits me: if he's going back, he either gave up chasing Serena- meaning she's hiding somewhere, alone- or he caught her and she's now lying dead on the ground (if it's the latter, I swear this is the last time Thresh sees the light of the day). I start running again, not even minding the noise my feet make against the dead leaves that cover the soil- at this time, the only tributes in the woods are the weaponless cowards that fled the Cornucopia the second the gong sounded, and if they are smart, they will stay away from me.

When I manage to reach the lake, I study the mud around it closely. There, almost invisible: small footsteps, still fresh, pointing towards the water. I smile, squinting at the almost blinding surface: it seems Serena has decided to go for a morning swim. But, as far as I can see, she's gone; she's probably swam as fast as she could, away from the Cornucopia, so in order to find her I need to follow the line of the water.

I walk for hours, but there's still no sign of Serena. The sun shines merciless down on me, and I find myself stopping several times for water. I eye the cool shadows of the trees by my right; I could just go for a rest… Serena will have to go back sooner or later so we can regroup, and when that happens I will be waiting for her.

Making a decision, I sit by a tree, leaning against the trunk. The breeze caresses my neck, which is drenched in sweat, and I begin to feel my eyelids heavy; the only noises I can hear are the sound of a waterfall in front of me, and the song of a bird somewhere over my head. I clutch my spear firmly, but it's of no use- the lack of sleep, along with the weariness caused by the bloodbath, finally dawns on me, and after two minutes I fall asleep.

_Serena_

I should go back and join the others; they're probably thinking I deserted them. But I'm starving! I barely ate anything for breakfast, and all that swimming only made me hungrier. That's the one thing we Careers never learned: how to go on without food for long periods of time. I raid through my backpack, in order to make an inventory- and possibly get something to eat.

I still have two knives, despite having lost my trident: I know now that my aim sucks, so I will have to be close to someone if I want to use them effectively. But still, I doubt anyone in these woods is going to try and kill me, except for Thresh and perhaps Katniss. The others, the ones who avoided the bloodbath, are probably harmless.

Inside the backpack, I find a bottle, filled with water, a flashlight, two boxes of matches- this will be useful, since I've never lit a fire before-, some bandages, morphling pills, a blanket, and a pack of dried fruit. I wrinkle my nose at my only edible finding, if we don't count the pills: I risked my life for a pack of _dried fruit_?

I hate dried fruit! And even if I liked it, it will certainly not fill my stomach. It's probably better to catch some fishes and have a decent meal. However, there's no sign of animal life in the pond where I'm resting my feet. I sigh; this means I need to return to the lake and risk running into Thresh.

I begin to pack my stuff, and that's when I get a good look at my hands: even after swimming for hours, there are still traces of red, especially under my nails, from when I slit the District 5 boy's throat. I blink, as I realize with horror that I killed two people. Worse, I killed two people, and I'm more concerned about the fact that I don't like dried fruit!

I try to tell myself that it was on self-defense, but I can still see the boy from Five helplessly struggling to get away from my knife; I manage to shake that image away, but the remorse remain.

_What about David?_ I think, as I start walking, still in a daze._ You saw him die, and you haven't stopped to think about him yet_. I cover my mouth with my fist, waiting for the tears, but they never come. I'm completely dry. That doesn't mean I can't feel the pain in my chest, though: I lost my district partner, one of the sweetest kids I had ever known. I think of his mother, the tears she's probably shedding right now, after watching her son being murdered live on television.

The walk back is painful and seems to last forever. Not to mention I feel vulnerable without a weapon I can handle easily: even if I don't find any tributes, who knows what kind of animals the Gamemakers tossed into these woods? Right now I could be being chased by hordes of fluffy white rabbits, all of them craving to bite my leg off.

However, as the hours go by, it becomes obvious that the mockingjays are the closest to a Capitol mutt around. I also don't run into anyone, and since I haven't heard the cannons, I deduce the battle by the Cornucopia is not over yet. This is good news: Thresh probably thought I wasn't worth the effort and went back for more supplies.

I don't see the body until I nearly trip over it.

* * *

**The Games have begun! What's your opinion on the bloodbath?**

**I'm really sorry David had to die, but... it's just how things work, since I tried to remain canon :/ (I confess I was kind of annoyed not only when he was killed by Cato- who was supposed to be his ally- in the movie, but also when I learned District 4 was removed from the Career pack)**

**I have yet to thank you about the feedback on the interviews- I just love Caesar Flickerman, and Stanley Tucci did an awesome job portraying him, so I tried to keep him in-character. I'm glad you liked the result :)**

**Once again, a special thanks to Luli Cullen- it's wonderful to know you like Serena as a character, I was actually worried she would turn out a Mary Sue xD- and everyone who took the time to review this last couple of chapters (apparently the site has been changed and now it's impossible to know who I should say thanks to)**

**Finally, I put the link for the cover on my profile- please check it out, and let me know your opinion!**

**I think that's all :)**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Serena_

I'm wrong. It's not a body.

I hide behind a tree, holding my breath and trying to be as quiet as possible. I peek again, to make sure I'm not hallucinating from the heat. But no, he's still there.

_What is he doing here?_

At first I was horrified, thinking that Marvel was dead, but a closer look showed me he's only asleep. He's more confident than I thought- how else would he be able to take a nap in full daylight, with a fair chance that someone would find him?

The relief of finding out Marvel's alive doesn't last long. _Kill him!_ I practically hear my sisters say. _What are you waiting for, Reena? Kill him now, or you'll never come home! He has to die anyway!_

I hold my knife tighter. I made a promise that I would do whatever it took to go back. It would be so easy… he wouldn't even feel anything. And no one would ever know it was me- it would be just another cannon on the first day, announcing that one more Career died in the bloodbath… I could even blame Thresh. There's no way Glimmer, Clove and Cato would doubt that. I take a step forward, but something in the way Marvel sleeps- curled up, with a dreamy smile upon his face, just like a child- makes me snap out of my murderous torpor. What was I thinking?

I can't kill Marvel. I just can't.

_Because I love him._

That's the truth. Stupid, romantic me fell head over heels in love with the boy from District One. I'm even more pathetic than Peeta- at least he had the guts to spit it out. I tried to do the same last night, but I'm still not sure if Marvel shares my feelings- what if he thought he should just go for it and I was just a pre-Games fling?

That's why, instead of either stabbing him in the heart or kissing him passionately, I begin to back away slowly, fully aware that I just sealed my own doom. I'll just leave the Careers and hide in the woods; maybe if I get caught, Glimmer will be the one to kill me. I don't think she'd let me suffer.

As usual, it doesn't go according to plan, because I've only taken a few steps back when a branch cracks loudly under my boot. Suddenly, Marvel opens his eyes and jumps over me while holding a knife, pinning me to the ground before I manage to run away.

_Marvel_

"Damn, Baby-face, you scared the shit out of me!" I shout in panic, as I hold the blade within inches away from Serena's horrified face. Had I realized it was her a second later, and now my hands would be stained with her blood.

_She's alive, _is the only thing I can think of right now. I get the knife away from her, taking in how unharmed she seems.

"I'm… Sorry," Serena gasps. "Now please get off me"

Only now do I realize I'm sitting on her stomach, holding her wrists with my knees- I wonder how she can even breathe. I change my position so that I'm leaning over Serena without hurting her, one knee on each side of her body and my hands keeping her arms from moving.

When she sees me smiling down at her, Serena lets out a frustrated groan. "Not now, Marvel," she hisses.

"Why not?" I tease, lowering my face to hers. "Let's show them what _real _lovers act like" I whisper.

Serena tries to kick me. "Let me go!" she shrieks. When I don't do as she commands, she sets her jaw. "Get off me or… or I swear I'll kick you in the balls. And then I'll stab you"

_Ouch._

"Fine," I say, annoyed, as I get off her. "I was only jo-"

Then, much to my surprise, Serena throws her arms around my neck and hugs me tightly. "I'm sorry," he repeats in a lower voice. "I'm glad you're alright"

"Mood swing much?" I ask, amused. Serena chuckles, remembering the question- the Training Center seems to have been decades ago now-, and I kiss her on the forehead.

We sit down and Serena eyes my backpack, still holding on to me. "Do you have any food?" she asks, unable to hide how hungry she is.

"Maybe" I grab my backpack and open it. "Didn't you find anything?" I ask, tilting my head towards her backpack.

"Only a pack of dried fruit" It's obvious she's not keen on eating that. "Here, you can have it" Serena fetches a yellow plastic package from her bag and tosses it.

"Thanks" I lay down the dried fruit on the grass and proceed to take objects out of my own backpack: a sleeping bag, a first-aid kit, a pair of resistant- looking gloves, three more knives, a bottle of water… "Aha! Bingo!" I say cheerfully, holding out a loaf of bread.

"Don't you have more?" Serena sounds disappointed as I break the bread in half. I can't blame her; it seems the Gamemakers have decided to play with us and left very little provisions inside the backpacks. The real food is probably inside the boxes back at the Cornucopia. "What is this?" I have given her a half of the bread and she's observing and sniffing it suspiciously.

"It's bread from my district," I explain, as I stuff my mouth with my half. Serena frowns, still not identifying the brown chips sprinkled all over the bread. I swallow, rolling my eyes. "Eat it. It's chocolate"

Serena finally decides to take the risk and bites the bread tentatively; she seems to enjoy it, because a second later it's gone. "I'm still hungry," she says. "What do you say I go get some fish?"

"It's fine by me"

"Do you mind if I take your spear? It's kind of difficult to catch a fish with a knife" I hand it to her in response, and she takes a box of matches from her backpack. "You could light up the fire while I'm gone"

I don't like the idea of Serena being on her own. "Don't go too far," I say, harsher than I intended to. She ignores me and runs towards the water; after a minute, she's already out of sight, though probably within hearing range.

I begin to gather wood for our little picnic, but suddenly something makes me stop; I swear I just heard someone cough. I take hold of two knives and look around me, my senses alert. Serena has just left- she can't be back so early; not to mention she wouldn't be hiding. Slowly, I disappear into the trees and circle silently around our camping place, so that I'm right behind whoever is spying on us.

_The guy won't even know what hit him_, I think, as I spot a boy with his back to me, half-hidden by a bush. I feel my lips forming an evil grin when I recognize him.

Peeta Mellark. Lover Boy himself.

He looks back, alarmed, and a second later I collide violently with him; but instead of falling, like I intended him to, he just stumbles and takes out his own knife.

Whoa! Where did Lover Boy get a knife? I don't recall seeing him in the bloodbath!

It's no big deal. I trained for this, and I'm bigger than him; while he's still regaining his balance, I bury my fist in his face, punching him multiple times and brutally hitting his leg before he blindly whips his knife; the blade scrapes through my chest, and I stop to measure the severity of the cut; it doesn't seem deep, but there's already a red stain forming on the front of my blouse. Peeta takes the opportunity to kick me in the gut, making me drop my knives and bend over in agony; without hesitating, he lifts me up with his fingers clasped around my throat, and shoves my head against a tree, still strangling me. I feverishly try to losen his grip on my neck as he holds me up against the trunk, but it's of no use: I might be the one who prepared for the Games, but I'm also the one who's gasping for air; I don't know how Lover Boy got so strong.

Then, all of a sudden, a knife comes whizzing through the air, almost pinning my hand to the tree and leaving a cut on Peeta's arm; he instinctively takes his hand to the wound, and I finally have the chance to breathe as he widens his eyes in shock.

"Drop it, Lover Boy," Serena hisses, as Peeta takes hold of the knife and tries to turn around to face her; he immediately drops it, since she's holding a blade against his throat. I have never seen her so angry. "Any last words?"

"Wait!" The word comes out panicky, but his voice is steady when he adds "I came here because I want to form an alliance!"

"And why would we do that?" I croak, rubbing my neck as I slowly slide to the ground. Stupid baker.

"Because I can take you to Katniss"

_Serena_

"What?" I eye Peeta suspiciously, never lowering my knife. "Aren't you supposed to be deeply in love with her or something?"

"Are you kidding me?" he snorts. "Don't tell me you believed that lame _star-crossed lovers_ story. You know it was all an act, right?"

_Actually, I did._

"Seemed pretty convincing to me" I try to hide how much I'm shaking with anger and fear by pressing the knife harder against his throat.

Peeta cringes, but doesn't struggle to free himself. "I needed to make sure she would trust me," he explains. "Especially after she got that eleven"

"So you just confessed your undying love for her live on television?" I ask sarcastically.

"Well, yes" Peeta casts a nervous glance at Marvel, who is standing up; there's a blood stain on his shirt- undoubtedly his- and finger marks around his throat. I fight back the urge to let go of Peeta and rush to him; I still can't believe I _actually_ thought about killing- and then leaving- him. "I thought it would be the safest way to do so"

Marvel gapes at Peeta and smiles mischievously when he realizes what he means. "Wait… So Katniss is out there on her own, thinking you're her knight in shining armour?"

"Probably," says Peeta. "I saw her fleeing the bloodbath"

"And you want to help us find her?" Marvel's smile is growing wider.

"That would be correct." Peeta grins. "Plus, I made sure she would leave the Cornucopia with no weapons. My original plan was to wait for the initial battle to end and then talk to you, but then I heard a noise… "

"Dude," Marvel interrupts, beaming. "You're a genius"

"Does this mean I'm in?" Peeta asks hopefully.

"We'll see about that," Marvel turns to me. "Let him go, Serena. Let's take him to Cato and see what he thinks"

"Marvel!" I widen my eyes at him, not believing what I just heard. "Have you lost your mind? He tried to kill you!"

Marvel shrugs. "Well… I tried to kill him first"

"Fine," I spit, as I lower my knife. Peeta takes a few steps back, looking relieved. I turn to Marvel, with my hands on my hips. "Just remember I'm not the one with the knife wound" I turn around and fetch the bandages from my backpack. "Come here," I say grumpily. Then, I say to Peeta: "Why don't you make yourself useful and bring me the spear I left by the lake? Maybe I'll take care of that arm" He nods and walks away. "And don't try anything!" I shout.

I focus my attention back on Marvel, who is looking down at me and smirking. "Have I ever told you how sexy you look when you're angry?" he asks, amused.

"Take off your shirt," I demand harshly, ignoring him.

"Anything you say, Baby-face. Although I kind of expected you to ask me out f-"

"_Just do it!_" I practically shriek. Marvel doesn't seem to notice, but he keeps bleeding; that, and the fact Peeta's words have deeply disturbed me, though I don't know why, have made me go hysterics.

Marvel doesn't need to hear it twice: he promptly removes his jacket and blouse, and stands there looking at me with concern as I cut a piece of bandage from the roll and search for something to disinfect the cut with.

"Serena," Marvel says softly."What's wrong?" He cringes when I start to clean his wound, which luckily is not deep; however, he'll get a scar for sure- Peeta's knife cut from Marvel's left shoulder and left a gash all across his chest.

"Nothing," I mutter; I can't bring myself to tell him how terrified I was when I saw Peeta strangling him.

"It's not 'nothing'," he insists. I don't say anything, as I finish putting the bandage around his body and tie it with a knot. "Is it because of Lover Boy?" Marvel wraps his fingers around mine, which were still resting on his chest, and brushes his lips against them. "You know we'll kill him anyway, when we don't need him anymore"

"I don't trust him" I try to sound annoyed, but I find it difficult thanks to the warmth of his breath on my fingertips, which causes my heart to speed up. "And I don't think you should trust him either"

Marvel opens his mouth to reply, but in that moment we hear the first cannon; as we silently count to eleven, he pulls me closer. "Thirteen to go," he says blankly.

The sound of someone clearing their throat causes me to turn around. "Am I interrupting something?" Peeta sounds embarrassed, though not as embarrassed as I feel right now.

"No," I say quickly, freeing my hand from Marvel's grip. I take a few steps towards Peeta, holding the bandages. "Just show me your arm so we can get out of here"

_Marvel_

The sun is going down, replacing the suffocating air with a cool breeze. We're probably not far from the Cornucopia now, and Serena is walking quickly in front of me, while Lover Boy has fallen behind, since he's limping a bit. "What are you waiting for?" she asks impatiently, turning around. "Hurry up!"

I stop, staring amusingly at her while she climbs a rock with difficulty. Serena has been acting pissed off all afternoon, and I couldn't help but tease her about it; the angrier she is, the funnier it gets.

Lover Boy finally reaches me; keeping an eye on Serena, he says lightly "Feisty, that girlfriend of yours"

"Watch it," I snarl, as we start walking again. I'm the only one allowed to comment on Serena's bitchy behavior. "And she's not my girlfriend, _Lover Boy,_" I add, as I try to tell myself that I'm not bothered by that fact.

"Well, it's true," he says defensively. "She almost cut my circulation"

"You're lucky she even agreed to bandage your arm," I grunt.

Our conversation is interrupted by the sound of the anthem; the three of us freeze and look up, as the recap of the deaths appears in the sky. The girl Cato and I killed together is the first to appear, meaning that he survived, along with Glimmer and Clove- excellent news, if we take into account we're one member short; as if they read my thoughts, David's face flashes in the darkening blue. I risk casting a glance at Serena; she's abnormally quiet, and the picture of her district partner is reflected on both her big eyes. For a terrible second, it crosses my mind that maybe she's gone mad after seeing the kid die, just like her friend Annie Cresta- that would explain her attitude-, but I shake off that thought. Then they show the boy from 5- I believe Serena killed him-, both the tributes from 6 and 7, the boy from District 8, both from 9 (stupid girl, thinking she could take off with a spear)… the last one to appear is the District 10 girl, also one of my kills.

"Hey, you!"

I take my eyes off of the sky just in time to see Clove, Cato and Glimmer, followed by Chip- who seems to be carrying all the weapons they don't need right now- running towards us. "Where have you been?" asks Cato; he's not angry, but he doesn't sound pleased either. "We were starting to think you had deserted us"

"We had some problems to solve," says Serena. "Thresh-"

"It seems you brought another pet" Clove interrupts, pointing at Peeta. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Lover Boy is going to help us hunt down his dear partner," I inform.

"Is it so?" Cato eyes Peeta suspiciously. "What happened to the star-crossed lovers from District 12?"

"We broke up," Peeta replies with sarcasm. "I still can't believe you all bought that story"

"Well, that means you were convincing" Glimmer shoots him a dirty look. "Wasn't that the whole point?"

"And how do we know you're not trying to fool us so you can live longer?" Clove points out. "I mean, I know Marvel is easy to deceive, but-"

"Whoa!" _Easy to deceive? _"_He_ came up to us! It's not like we caught him and he started blathering to save his live! Well, it's true," I exclaim, when Serena laughs sarcastically. "Besides, we need all the help we can get if we want to catch Thresh and Katniss. We've already lost an ally"

Cato shakes his head slowly. "Pity," he says, referring to David. "I liked that kid"

"Well, can I join or not?" asks Peeta.

"I guess this is your lucky day, Lover Boy" Cato points his finger at me. "But he's _your_ responsibility, so if he screws up, you'll be sorry"

I nod; something in Cato's eyes tells me he's not joking.

_Serena_

"I almost forgot" Glimmer finishes eating her fish and gets up. "I saved something for you"

I watch as she steps to the pile of supplies -in which Chip is working while muttering to himself and scribbling equations on the dirt with a stick- and retrieves a trident from it.

"Thanks," I say when she hands it to me. We've just finished dinner, and we're getting ready to go hunting: we've all agreed to start by the woods, since that's probably where most of the other tributes are hiding. No one wants to admit they're too scared to enter the wheat field on the other side of the Cornucopia- apparently, after he quit chasing me, Thresh went back for more supplies and then claimed that territory as his own.

"All ready?" Cato asks, already wearing his night-vision glasses; Clove has put on hers as well, and Glimmer has lit up a torch.

"I don't have a flashlight, so I hope you don't mind I stay close to you," Marvel whispers teasingly. I just roll my eyes in response as we set off to the woods.

The sounds of the night animals fill my ears, but there's no sign of the other tributes. I wonder if we are too visible, with our flashlights, torches, and the noise of our steps. If I was alone here, in the dead of night, I know I would be attentive to these signs and trying to be as quiet as possible.

It seems not everyone thinks the same way as I do, though, because after about three hours of finding absolutely nothing besides a couple of foxes, Glimmer suddenly hisses "Over there!", pointing at the top of the trees. We look up, and immediately spot the smoke, curling towards the sky.

_Idiot._

Whoever lit up the fire is still far, but we don't mind it; now that we've discovered our prey, nothing can stop us. I shiver; we're like animals- animals who hunt their own kind. I begin to walk closer to Marvel, who has been near me the whole time, grateful for the warmth that emanates from his jacket. "Who do you think it is?" I mumble, referring to the tribute we're about to kill.

"I don't know" Marvel puts his arm around my shoulders and seems to think for a moment. Apart from us Careers- including Chip and Lover Boy- there's still the red-haired girl from 5, the girl from 8, the cripple from District 10, Thresh, Rue, and Katniss. "I hope it's Katniss"

"That would spare us a lot of work, wouldn't it?" I try to sound hopeful, but I don't think she is stupid enough to give herself away like that, or she wouldn't have got that training score. "That way we could get rid of Lover Boy"

Marvel drags me to the shadow of a tree, where it's dark enough for any cameras not to see us- besides, the Capitol citizens are probably sleeping right now- and kisses me lightly on the lips. "We've already discussed this," he mutters. "He's not a threat"

"I have a bad feeling about him," I insist.

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again" Marvel starts playing with one of my braids, tickling my nose with the tip. "You worry too much"

Even though I still feel a knot in my stomach, I place a kiss on Marvel's cheek and, taking his hand, rush to join the others. We walk for two hours before finally finding our victim, when the sun begins to come up: the fire has almost extinguished, but I can still discern someone sleeping next to it. It's ridiculously easy.

"Alright, on three" Clove's voice could be mistaken for the wind. "One… two… three!"

Glimmer and I are the first to reach the girl; she tries to run away when she hears us, but we're too fast, and she's just woken up. "Leave her to me!" I hear Cato shout.

"Please! Please!" she shrieks, as we hold her arms and drag her towards Cato. I recognize her now- she's from District 8. She desperately tries to bite me in an attempt to free herself, but I shake her violently and she stops. "No!" The girl breaks down crying when she sees the glint of Cato's sword and his smile. "I beg you, d-"

The blood-curdling scream she lets out when Cato mercilessly plunges the sword in her stomach pierces my ears and echoes in my head for several minutes. But somehow I find it funny- or maybe I'm just too horrified even to scream. I burst out laughing and the others join me. "Good one, Cato!" Clove praises.

"Yeah, you showed her!" Glimmer shouts, though I notice she looks a bit pale.

"I wouldn't have done it better myself," I hear Marvel say cheerfully. "Twelve down and eleven to go!" he roars, getting applauses, and this time there's emotion in his voice: triumph.

* * *

**I'm really sorry I took a little longer to update than usual... I hope I managed to make up for it with this chapter!**

**I really enjoyed writing it, mostly because I got the chance to let Peeta unleash his badass side :P**

**Once again, a big thank you to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter: Luli Cullen, Doreandrix and Queen of Asgard (love the name, btw)- the fact that you like my story couldn't make me happier :)**

**I'll try to upload chapter 19 as soon as possible!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_Serena_

"Nothing here either," I say, as I check the girl's backpack. She only had a bottle- empty- and a leather pouch; I decide to keep the pouch, although I don't know exactly what I'll do with it.

"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking," says Cato.

"Yeah, let's go." Marvel reaches out his hand to help me climb to my feet, while the others murmur in approval and set off towards a clearing, some yards ahead. We join them, and I immediately sense something's not right. Everything's quiet. Too quiet.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" I ask, with the girl's pleading still echoing in my head.

Glimmer seems to think for a moment. "I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately."

"Unless she isn't dead." Under the light coming from Glimmer's torch, Clove's twisted smile appears ten times more sinister as thoughts of more blood-spilling cross her mind.

Cato snorts, offended that we doubt his killing skills, of which he's so proud of- he even spent the evening telling us how many tributes he killed, and how he did it. I had to try hard to keep my dinner in my stomach. "She's dead. I stuck her myself."

"Then where's the cannon?" Marvel insists.

"Someone should go back," Glimmer suggests. "Make sure the job's done."

Marvel nods in approval. "Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice."

"I said she's dead!" Cato shouts, enraged.

"But… the cannon," I stammer. "Why would they forget to set it off?"

Cato shoots me a look so full of anger that I take a step back. "Tell you what, Shortie," he snarls. "_You _go there and check if she's still alive. Or are you afraid big bad Thresh will catch you in the meanwhile?"

"Don't talk to her like that," Marvel says harshly. "Serena's right, it's taking them too long to announce the death."

"I can go back," Glimmer volunteers with impatience. "Just stop arguing."

"No one's going anywhere!" The madness in Cato's eyes is becoming more evident. "I killed her. _Period_. Let's get out of here."

"Cato," Clove says softly, "I don't think she's dead."

Cato gapes at her, looking hurt. "I expected more from you, you little trait-"

"We're wasting time!" Peeta, who until now had watched our argument without saying a word, suddenly silences us. "I'll go finish her and let's move on!"

An almost inaudible rustle somewhere over my head causes me to look around anxiously. Marvel seems to notice this, since he leans towards me and mutters "What is it?"

"I think I just heard something," I whisper, pointing at the trees.

_Marvel_

"I didn't hear anything." I shrug. "It's probably just a wild animal."

Serena doesn't seem convinced, but she drops the subject and focuses back on Cato, who appears to be making an effort to calm himself down. "Go on, then, Lover Boy," he says. "See for yourself."

Peeta takes Glimmer's torch and walks back to the place where we found the District 8 girl. Clove makes sure he's out of hearing range before hissing "Why don't we just kill him now and get it over with?"

I roll my eyes. _Not this again. _"Let him tag along. What's the harm? And he's handy with that knife." I notice Serena bites her lip, eyeing my blood-stained blouse, but she doesn't say anything. "Besides, he's our best chance of finding her."

"Why? You think she bought into that sappy romance stuff?" Clove sounds skeptical.

"She might have," Glimmer cuts off before I manage to reply; she's not able to hide the envy in her voice. "Seemed pretty simpleminded to me. Every time I think about her spinning around in that dress, I want to puke."

"Wish we knew how she got that eleven," says Serena. She's still looking around nervously, as if a carnivorous squirrel might be about to jump over her. I give her hand a squeeze.

"Bet you Lover Boy knows," Clove snarls.

We shut up as soon as we hear Peeta returning. "Was she dead?" asks Cato.

"No. But she is now," Peeta replies, as the cannon sounds, right on cue. "Ready to move on?"

* * *

"I haven't thanked you yet for saving my life. Again."

I'm lying on my sleeping bag, with the sun rising over the lake behind me, while Serena checks my wound. From the way she's yawning every five seconds, I'd say she's as exhausted as I am. "It was nothing," she mumbles modestly.

I get up on one elbow, but Serena presses her hand against my shoulder, forcing me to lay back. "How did you even know I was in danger?" I ask.

"I followed the sound of clashing testosterone," Serena replies jokingly, as she puts a clean bandage over my chest. I restrain myself from pulling her down for a kiss, since we're in full daylight- not to mention surrounded by our allies and God knows how many cameras. "Actually, it was the fact you were too quiet. No offense, but you never shut up. And you didn't light up the fire, so I figured something was wrong."

"Oh." I run my thumb across the back of her hand as she gently ties the bandage. I'm tired of pretending to be available for the ladies of the Capitol. _Either way_, I think bitterly, _If I make out of this alive, Serena won't, so I might as well be with her while I can. _I pull Serena down so that she's lying next to me when she lets out a yawn so prolonged I wonder how she manages to stay up. "Why don't you try to get some sleep?" I ask. "Clove is doing the first watch."

"I have my own sleeping bag, Marvel," she says sleepily; however, she's dragging herself closer to me.

I pull Serena by the waist and she hesitates, eyeing the white bandage. "It's alright," I say softly. "It doesn't hurt anymore." She carefully lays her head on my chest, and lets out a contented sigh.

"Let them gossip," Serena mumbles. "I'm so tired of this I could just-" Her voice trails off into incoherent muttering as she's overcome by tiredness and falls asleep; I join her shortly after.

A few hours later- judging from the position of the sun, I'd say it's past noon- I'm gently awakened by Serena, who brushes her lips against my shoulder, causing me to shiver with pleasure. "You're killing me," I groan, keeping my eyes shut.

"No, I'm not," she chuckles. "But Cato is going to, if you don't get up. It's your turn to watch."

I sit up carefully, trying not to move her, but she gets up as well, stretching like a cat. "What are you doing?" I ask, half-amused, half-surprised, when she begins to take off her clothes, until she's wearing nothing but her underwear.

"Well, it's hot, I'm bored, and I need a bath. I'm going for a swim," she says lightly.

"In your underwear?" I raise my eyebrows and let my eyes wander all over her familiar figure; Serena seems to notice this because she flushes prettily.

_The things I would do to her right now._

"It's the same thing as a bikini," she says defensively. "And what else am I supposed to wear?"

I give her a mischievous smile, and she buries her face in her hands, anticipating my remark. "How about… nothing?"

"You're insufferable," Serena accuses from between her fingers. She turns her back to me and walks quickly towards the lake; I shake my head for a moment before running after her. "Where do you think you're going?" Serena looks shocked as I take off my boots.

"I'm joining you," I reply cheerfully, getting rid of my pants. I can almost hear the gasps in the Capitol, as I'm left in a pair of boxers.

"Do I need to remind you you're supposed to be watching?"

"So what?" I immerse my foot, checking the water temperature; it's pleasantly cold. "That doesn't mean I have to sit down and do nothing. Besides," I tilt my head towards Chip, who is still restlessly working on his infamous booby trap. "We have him."

Serena just presses her lips together in response and jumps to the water with a splash; a few seconds later, her head appears some feet away. I calmly enter the lake, and when I'm sure Serena is not looking, I submerge completely and begin swimming towards her. She only realizes I'm right next to her when it's already too late; she tries to swim away, but I pick her up easily and refuse to let go. "You shouldn't have taught me how to swim," I whisper, before holding her over my head and tossing her back in the water. Serena shrieks for a second as she flies through the air, and then she hits the surface sending splashes everywhere.

Serena emerges, coughing, and I swim to her as she throws every curse she knows at me. "Have you ever been told," I say casually, putting my hand over her mouth. "That a lady doesn't curse?" She shoots me an amused glance and licks my hand; I'm so surprised by this that Serena manages to free herself from my grasp. She doesn't go far, though; I drag her towards me, this time by the ankle. "Hey," I say, in a different tone.

"Now what?" Serena asks tiredly. "Are you going to try and drown me?"

"I had something else in mind." I cover my mouth and whisper "Do you think they have cameras underwater?"

Serena gapes at me, alarmed. "W-what?" she stammers.

"Take a deep breath," I say, before going underwater and pulling her with me.

Serena's skin feels funny against mine- due to the water surrounding us, probably- as I slip an arm behind her back and draw her to me and start kissing her thoroughly. We have less than a minute before running out of air, so I decide to make the best of it and tighten my grip around Serena, until we're pressed together so firmly that she melts in my embrace and we seem to become one. I forget about everything- the arena, the Capitol, the tributes I'm supposed to kill- and instead focus on the girl I love, who could be dead by tomorrow. This thought causes the urge of my lips moving over hers to grow stronger, and Serena responds with such intensity that if on that moment my lungs hadn't begun to beg for air, I don't know what would have happened.

"Excuse me…" Chip's voice seems to come from the end of a tunnel, as Serena and I return to the surface, breathing heavily, with her still clinging to my shoulders. "D-do you know if we have any wire?" he stutters, noticing our compromising position. "I intended to ask the others, but they're sleeping and I didn't want to wake th-"

"Check the boxes," I cut off harshly. The guy is turning red, but I ignore it- damn, can't he see he's _interrupting_?

Chip changes his weight from one foot to another, uncomfortably. "I already did." He's now staring inquiringly at Serena, who is even redder than him and studying her nails. "But Cato said there were more of them hidden, and I was wondering where they were."

"How would I know?" I shout, running my hand through my hair. I shouldn't blame him for being so persistent; if Cato wakes up and finds out Chip hasn't been working as hard as he should, who knows what he'll do? I've started to doubt Cato's sanity after he mistreated Serena last night.

Glimmer appears behind Chip and grabs his arm- not very gently, judging from the look of pain on his face. "I'll help you find your wire," she says grumpily. Then, she turns to us and hisses "Behave, you two."

_Serena_

"I was completely mortified. Did you see his face? It seemed as if he had caught us…" I can't bring myself to finish the sentence.

Marvel, however, doesn't seem worried- as usual. "It was kind of funny, admit it," he says, as he catches a fish with his spear. "Hey, look! I've got one!"

While I was waiting for my underwear to dry out, I decided to go fishing, instead of doing nothing; not very surprisingly, Marvel joined me as soon as he saw me holding my trident over my head, with water up to my thighs; I wasn't expecting Clove, Glimmer, and Lover Boy to ask me to teach them how to catch fishes, though, but they seemed pretty interested in it. Cato, however, appears to think it's just a waste of time, since we have a totally reliable amount of supplies, enough to feed the five of us- seven, with Chip and Lover Boy- for weeks. That's why while we are splashing around, gathering dinner- and having fun, despite Lover Boy's presence, which keeps bothering me for an unknown reason- he's sharpening his precious sword and frowning.

Suddenly, Cato climbs to his feet and strides towards the border of the lake. "Fish-heads!" he shouts. "Come here, play time is over."

We step out of the water, holding a bucket full of fish, and begin to put our clothes back on. "Come on, Cato," Clove says, with a rare cheerful smile upon her face, which is slightly red due to all those hours under the bright sun. "Don't be like that. What else are we supposed to do during day time?"

"How about planning our next move?" Cato's tone is harsh, but I notice his gaze doesn't leave Clove, who is calmly putting on her pants. "Tonight," Cato focuses back on the rest of the group. "We split up." Ignoring our astonished stares, he goes on. "Glimmer, Clove and Marvel will go one way. Serena, Lover Boy- you'll go with me."

I almost let out a frustrated groan, but I'm able to restrain myself on the last moment. Spending the entire night with Cato and Lover Boy? Right now I can't think of anything worse.

_Marvel_

"Move faster, lazy-asses."

I take a deep breath to keep myself from hitting Clove, who always seems to cheer up when it's time to go hunting. I can tell the idea of splitting up- the other group is looking for Katniss, and we are looking for whoever may be hiding around here- doesn't please her any more than it pleases me, but that doesn't stop her from acting as bossy as Cato. I bet he sent her to keep an eye on me and Glimmer, while he watches over Lover Boy and Serena- who he seems to mistrust, for some reason.

"I feel like Cato is watching us through her," I whisper to Glimmer. "Do you think they are mentally connected?"

Glimmer rolls her eyes. "Don't be an idiot. And she's not watching us, she's watching _you._"

I raise my eyebrows. "Is it so? Has she finally realized I'm hotter than Cato?"

"I honestly don't know what Serena sees in you," Glimmer says with frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Are you blind? Clove's watching you to make sure you two don't take off again like yesterday. Cato is doing the same- your training score was too high for him to have you disappearing whenever you feel like to, with no promises of coming back."

"Is that why he hates Serena?" I ask, frowning. "Does he really feel _that_ threatened by a girl half his size?"

Glimmer grins. "Who would you rather have as an ally once this is over? Cato or her?"

"Serena, of course."

"There you have it." Glimmer shrugs and speeds up so she can walk next to Clove.

"What were you two whispering about?" Clove asks suspiciously once I join them.

"I was telling Glimmer how much I like your hair," I say lightly. "What do you do to keep it that way? It looks so soft…" I motion to stroke it mockingly, but Clove ducks her head and points a knife at me.

"Save that to your little girlfriend," she spits. "I bet she would love that…"

"Shut up," Glimmer hisses; Clove and I turn to look at her furiously, but she goes on. "I think there's someone behind those bushes."

Without hesitating, I throw my spear in the direction she has pointed; a bird flies away from it in panic, causing us to cover our heads when it becomes too close. Then there's a flash of red and a shrill laughter that fades away a second later.

"District Five," Clove grumbles, as I retrieve my spear from the bush. I take a few steps forward, intended on pursuing the girl, but it's like she's vanished. "I can't believe you missed."

"How am I supposed to hit something I can't see?" I protest.

Clove doesn't reply, but I can see the silent reprimand in her eyes- she thinks I'm going soft.

_Serena_

As the hours go by, it becomes obvious tonight there will be no cannons; the only face in the sky today was the girl from District 8, and she's been dead for almost a day- which means that if we don't find anyone tomorrow, the spectators will get bored, and the Gamemakers will find a very unpleasant way to gather us together.

"What exactly," Cato's annoyed voice comes from behind me. "Are we looking for, Lover Boy? We've been here for hours and there's still no sign of your girlfriend."

"Snares," Peeta replies simply. He's going ahead, with my flashlight, since he's supposed to know where we're going. "That's her secret to survive. You can bet on it- we find the snares, we find Katniss."

Snares? _Snares_? You don't get an eleven showing _snares_ to the Gamemakers… He's either hiding something, or he doesn't know Katniss nearly as well as he claims to.

"Are you sure," I pant as we go up a particularly steep path. "That she doesn't know you're helping us? Or are you so confident of her trust in you that it hasn't even come through your mind?"

"One-hundred percent sure," Peeta snorts and turns to me with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Trust me, a girl in love loses all reasoning and believes in whatever she wants. I could be pressing a knife against Katniss's throat that she would believe I love her until the very last moment."

That makes it. I try not to fall as the woods around me start spinning and a clump in my throat makes it hard to breathe. If it wasn't for Peeta, who very helpfully grabs my arm, I would land face first on the slippery rocks. "Thanks," I stammer gruffly, as I look at my gloves- Marvel's gloves. It's a cold night, and he gave them to me. "We should go back," I shout at Cato, hoping he doesn't notice how shaky my voice is. "The sun is rising."

We make it back to the camping site before the others; I slip into my sleeping bag without a word, and when Marvel finally arrives, lies down next to me and brushes his lips against my cheek before putting an arm around my waist, I pretend I'm asleep.

I finally realized why Lover Boy seems so despicable to me. I may be trying to kill Katniss, but the way he tricked her… It's disgusting. If I was in her place, I know I'd rather have my throat slit than to be betrayed like this.

_Dude. You're a genius_, Marvel said, when Peeta told us about his plan. Why did Marvel trust him so fast? Has he… decided to do the same and hunt me down when I least expect it? Or maybe he was already planning to, anyway, and that's why he's blindly relying on Lover Boy. He knows only one of us can live. I turn around carefully and end up facing Marvel's chest, which is going up and down as he sleeps peacefully.

_No. He wouldn't do that_, I think, as I unconsciously pull myself closer to him. _I_ was the one who almost killed him. And even if Marvel doesn't love me as much as I love him, he certainly cares about me.

_Or maybe,_ a voice in my head whispers, _You're only believing in what you want to believe._

* * *

**I'm so, so, _so _****sorry this wasn't updated earlier, but it was completely impossible!**

**As usual, a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter- Luli Cullen, julesjumper, Allygrlfrnd and sandraaa (thank you so much for trying to spread the story around :D)- you guys really made my day :)**

**Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

_Serena_

When I wake up, Marvel's gone.

"Where are the others?" I ask Glimmer, rubbing my eyes. I really don't get why Cato insists on hunting at night- wouldn't it be easier to chase the other tributes in full daylight, when they are searching for food and water? We only found that girl because she was dumb enough to light a fire at four in the morning. And I really hate sleeping during the day.

"They went on a _recon mission_," she replies, as she shoots an arrow to a nearby tree. "To the wheat field," she adds, tilting her head towards Thresh's territory. I shiver, thinking about what could be happening there; despite my most recent doubts, I can't help but worry about Marvel, and what Thresh might do to him.

_Don't be stupid. It's three against one._

"Why didn't you wake me?" I get up and fetch a pack of biscuits from a bag of supplies and start eating them. "I could have gone, too," I say, not very convincingly. Truth is that field is the last place where I want to go.

"Cato wanted you to go, but Marvel talked him out of it." Glimmer rolls her eyes. "I'm glad he did it, otherwise I would be spending the day with Lover Boy and Mr. Ticking Bomb over there."

I follow her gaze, to see Peeta speaking to Chip with a spear in his hand; Chip has his back turned to him, and I can tell by his nervous look that he's not done yet with his trap. "What is taking him so long?" I ask, to no one in particular.

Glimmer shrugs. "Who knows? All I know is that thanks to him we have to be here, watching the supplies. As if someone is about to storm out of the woods and steal all our food"

I smile, as I grab some of the knives Clove leaves around. "Can I join?" I ask, referring to the target she's drawn on the tree.

"Sure."

I throw a knife, then two, then three. I let out a resigned sigh when none of them hits the center of the target. "I keep missing," I complain. "If I wasn't this terrible, we wouldn't have to worry about Lover Boy anymore." When Glimmer shoots me an inquiring look, I explain how I ran into Peeta strangling Marvel, then panicked and aimed at his back, only to end up almost hitting Marvel's hand. "I should have killed him when I had the chance," I whisper.

Glimmer glances at Peeta, who is now studying the bandage I put on his arm, and then turns back to me. "I think he's bad news, too," she confesses. "But even if he's not helping us find Katniss, I'm sure she's looking for him, and we'll end up catching her anyway. I mean," Glimmer shoots another arrow, missing the center of the target- she's awfully stubborn, just like me- and squints at me. "If she holds half of the feelings you do for Marvel, she's probably curled up somewhere crying right now."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I grunt, throwing my fourth knife; this time, I manage to cut off a twig.

"I mean it," Glimmer goes on, as if she hasn't heard me. "You need to be careful. What happened yesterday in the lake… I had never seen someone as shocked as Mr. Ticking Bomb. It took him nearly five minutes to stop stuttering."

I smile. "I think he's convinced we were doing something more than kissing"

"It certainly seemed like it," Glimmer says amusingly, raising her eyebrows. "And judging from the way you can't keep your hands off each other, I wouldn't doubt it for a second. But seriously," Glimmer looks at me with her emerald green eyes full of concern. "I know you like him, but you have to remember where we are. Besides," Her voice drops to a whisper. "Cato is keeping an eye on both of you. I think his plan is to team up with Clove and Marvel once the alliance is over, with them having the highest training scores and all, but you're ruining everything. Because there's no way Marvel would team up with them when he has you."

"You don't know that," I say tonelessly.

"Are you out of your mind? He's always following you around." Glimmer is now staring at me with admiration. "He's crazy about you. Too crazy for his- and your- own good. But it's still an advantage."

"I'm not so sure about that," I mumble. Whose advantage is it? Mine?

Or his?

_Marvel_

I don't like it here. But there's no way I'll let Cato and Clove know that.

Everywhere I turn my head, all I can see is grass and grain- wheat, maybe-, lazily swaying in the afternoon breeze. Since I'm the tallest out of the three of us, the grass only goes up to my chest, but it's still very difficult to detect anything in this field; there are no paths, and Thresh could be right behind us that we wouldn't even notice him.

Suddenly, I hear Clove gasp behind me. I turn around, prepared to face her mangled body and Thresh's wrath, but apparently it was only a snake; Clove has managed to behead it with her knife, but she still looks pretty shaken. "Was it venomous?" she asks.

I kneel next to the animal- I'm no expert in snakes, but I don't think the Gamemakers would ever throw us something as harmless as a non-venomous snake; who knows, as far as I'm concerned, it could even be a mutt. "I don't know. Probably was." I straighten up and turn my head, looking for Cato, but he's nowhere to be seen. "Hey, man!" I shout.

The irritated answer comes from a few yards ahead of me. "What?"

"I think we should return now."

Two seconds later, Cato appears, angrily cutting the grass standing in his way with his sword. "We're still only a mile in. Come on, don't be a pussy."

I choose to ignore his insult. "It's obvious we won't be able to find Thresh here. He's from District 11- do you really want to fight him in his environment?" Cato seems about to behead me with his sword, just like Clove did with the snake, but I just stare back at him calmly. Cato may be able to engender plans, but he's so impulsive that sometimes he doesn't even think straight.

"We've already ran into a snake. We don't know what else we'll find here." Clove has recomposed herself, but luckily she still agrees with me. "Let's go back."

Cato frowns and opens his mouth to argue, but something in Clove's expression seems to makes him reconsider, so he agrees. Clove shoots me a meaningful look; we will never admit it, but the truth is this place gives us the chills.

* * *

Serena is sitting on her sleeping bag, peacefully tangling a net; she has her back turned to me, and I don't think she noticed my arrival. I tiptoe my way to her and, before Serena has time to process what's happening and turn around, I bend down, flinging my arms around her waist and placing a kiss below her ear; but instead of kissing me back, Serena stiffens and struggles to free herself from my arms.

"Hey, hey! Relax, it's me," I say, as I tighten the grip around her and gently bite her earlobe.

Serena, however, doesn't relax, so I let her go and allow her to turn around and face me. I can tell that she's scared, but of what? "Hi," she says faintly. "Did you find anything?"

"Of course not." I look at her inquiringly; I'm already used to her attitude changes, but she's never said no to a kiss, and she always looks happy to see me. "If I had, you would have heard a cannon."

"Oh. Right." Serena goes back to her net and keeps tangling it; her expression is calm, but she can't hide how much her fingers are shaking. "How's your chest?" Serena asks calmly. "Do you need me to change the bandage again?"

"No, I'm fine." I circle around Serena and kneel right in front of her, but she still won't look at me; I put my hand over hers and she stops what she's doing, eyeing our entwined fingers. "But you aren't. What is it this time?" I ask kindly.

"I'm okay." She manages to smile, though unconvincingly. "I'm just tired, that's all. Maybe I'll take a nap later."

I stare into Serena's eyes a bit longer before saying "Alright, suit yourself. Cato said we'll go hunting when the sun sets."

"Okay. Don't forget to wake me." Serena lays down on her sleeping bag, curls up and closes her eyes. She's obviously not asleep, but I decide to leave her alone; when she feels ready to tell me what came over her, she'll come back.

I walk away, intending to get some water from the lake, when I notice Peeta observing me; his expression is a mix of pity and mockery, but it's the way he glances at Serena that really annoys me. "Where are you looking at, Lover Boy?" I ask grouchily, before proceeding to fill my bottle. Something tells me he listened to everything Serena and I were saying, but I really don't care.

* * *

There haven't been any deaths for over a day, and Cato is getting impatient- we've been trying to track down Katniss for over four hours, and he still hasn't allowed us to stop and rest, let alone return to our camping site. "We're not going back until we find her," Cato shouts, his voice loud and clear over the sound of the animals and the rustle of the wind on the trees. "Even if it takes all night, we won't rest until she's dead."

"It's a cold night," I hear Serena say. "She's probably curled up in some hole, and she won't come out until dawn."

"Then we'll be waiting for her when she does," Cato snarls. "But if you're tired, you can stay here and find the way back on your own."

I don't need to look at Serena to realize she's flushing with anger. I turn my head, trying to meet her gaze, but it's so dark I only see a shadow behind Glimmer, who is holding a flashlight. I tell myself that the fact Serena has spent the entire night walking with Glimmer doesn't bother me at all, but it's of no use- Serena hasn't spoken to me ever since I got back from Thresh's field, and she was already acting strange then. Come to think of it, she started behaving like this after she went hunting with Cato and Lover Boy. I grit my teeth; what have they done to her? Cato is always dismissing everything Serena says and reminding her that she fled the bloodbath when we needed her the most- even though I did the same, he's smart enough not to bring that up, since I'm more likely to beat him to a bloody pulp than Serena- but what can I do? Cato's our leader, and he's stronger than me. But Serena is smart, she knows better than to listen to Cato's angry ranting.

That leaves Lover Boy, then; if I find out he did or said anything to upset her, I'll forget about Katniss and kill him myself with my bare hands.

After two hours, Glimmer interrupts my thoughts- I had been fantasizing about different ways to catch Lover Boy off-guard, mainly in his sleep- by asking "Is it just me or is the sun rising?"

"Don't be such a blonde, Glimmer." Clove's joke could have been mistaken for an insult- no one would doubt that, coming from her- if she wasn't almost as blonde as Glimmer. "We still have more than an hour left until dawn."

Clove might be right, but it's definitely getting easier to distinguish the trees around me. Then we hear the steps- running, non-human steps- at the same time Serena screams because she almost gets knocked over by a deer. "What the-" she exclaims; she stops mid-sentence, gaping at the woods behind her. I follow her gaze, but there was no need for it: the smell of the smoke is getting stronger, invading the air and leaving no suspicion on what's coming.

"RUN!" I shout to the others, although I'm sure they've spotted the wall of fire consuming everything on its dangerously quick way towards us.

"Follow the animals!" Cato orders, from somewhere ahead of me, as we set off running from the approaching flames. All of a sudden, the tiredness caused by the long walk is gone, and all I can think of is that if we don't move faster, we will be burned alive.

I dart away from the fire, blindly trying to keep the branches away from my face with my hands as the smoke grows thicker and makes it impossible to see anything; I lost sight of Lover Boy, Clove, and Cato, but I can still hear Serena and Glimmer behind me, panting and tripping on whatever lies on the ground, in their attempt to escape.

_Goddamn those Gamemakers! _I think furiously after twenty minutes, when the trees on both my sides burst into flames, cracking under the unnatural storm the Gamemakers have sent to punish us for not having killed anyone in what they consider to be a long time. If I didn't know better, I'd say they're trying to off the six of us, and not leading us to the other tributes- my eyes are stinging, my throat is dry, and I'm finding it really hard to breathe; it's like my lungs are bleeding.

Suddenly, I hear Serena scream.

It takes me a few seconds to process the sound- even though I could recognize it anywhere- and what it means, because my mind is a little blurry from all the smoke I inhaled, but next thing I know I'm running back. The cry was faint, but still loud enough to send me towards the flames, against everything my instincts tell me to do- which is, of course, to leave her behind and keep running. But I made a promise to myself- and Finnick Odair- that I would keep Serena out of danger.

I don't run into Glimmer as I make my way to Serena's sitting figure, which means she's probably already ahead of me. Serena seems to have fallen down, and she's grabbing her ankle with a look of pain on her blood-drained face. "Look out!" she shrieks, when I'm almost by her side.

I don't even have time to find out what's causing the hiss behind me. I jump forward and collide with Serena, feeling something really hot whiz over my back and explode against a tree as I cover her with my body. I look up and barely manage to realize the Gamemakers are now throwing fireballs at us before they fire again, this time aiming at our heads. I roll over to the left, still protecting Serena, and the fireball violently hits the ground next to us. The pain on my cheek tells me it only missed my face by a matter of inches.

"We have to move!" I urge in a raspy voice, as I help Serena get up and put my arm around her waist so she can rely on me for support. "Put your arm around my shoulders!"

"What do you think you're doing?" She's panicking, but she still does as I say.

I ignore her question and start running down the path we were following; we still have to duck in order to avoid a couple more fireballs, but soon we seem to be out of their action range. That doesn't mean, however, that we have escaped the fire, still blazing menacingly behind us. I'm practically dragging Serena, since she can't run as fast as before; I'm starting to think this is it, and that we're both going to die, when the fire abruptly stops. The daylight gradually takes its place, and I begin slowing down, as the adrenaline disappears from my body and I'm overcome by fatigue.

"Can you walk?" I ask, almost unable to speak. When Serena doesn't answer, I look at her; she's pale, covered in ash and she seems about to collapse- I'm not sure if she even heard me. I slip an arm behind her knees and lift her up with a groan- luckily she's not heavy- and carry her for the rest of the way, until we find the others: Glimmer is lying on the ground and not moving; Lover Boy is resting his back against a tree, trying to catch his breath, and a very shaken-looking Clove is next to Cato, who is throwing up. I carefully lay Serena down before falling flat on my stomach with a thump.

_We're alright,_ I think, as I reach my hand to hers.

* * *

**I'm so sorry I have been a crappy uploader lately, but it has been kind of hard to come here... Anyway, I'll go away for the holidays, so I don't know if I will be able to upload Chapter 21 soon :(**

**What did you think of this chapter?**

**As usual, special thanks to Luli Cullen, julesjumper (I hope your exam went for the best ^^), Allygrlfrnd and Behold-Pandora's-Box (Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this story- and Glimmer's personality as well, haha! I wanted to present her in a sympathetic light, something that doesn't usually happen in a Marvel fanfic- unless they're Glarvel, of course. As for your question- if this will be AU-... well, let's just say the story will be canon, but the epilogue will be AU. Does it make sense? xD)**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

_Marvel_

I lie on the ground for about five minutes, inhaling the smell of the grass, before I finally gather the courage to stand up; the air is still impregnated with the stink of burned wood, and the dim sunlight is partially blocked by black clouds of smoke. I reach for my backpack in order to retrieve my bottle from it, and end up drinking all of the water; I should have saved some to relieve the burning pain on my cheek, but I feel like I just crossed a desert. Then I close my eyes, in an attempt to break through the fog in my mind and decrease the nausea.

"We have to keep going." Even with his voice still shaky from what just happened, Cato's words don't allow any contestation. "See if we can find some water."

When I open my eyes, he's already up and ready, along with Glimmer, Lover Boy, and Clove. But Serena is still lying on her side, with a faint moan escaping from her slightly parted lips, and her face remains as white as paper. I climb to my feet with difficulty.

"What about her?" Glimmer voices my thoughts before bursting into a coughing fit.

"We have to keep going," Cato repeats, this time more steadily. "I'm not going to stay here and die just because she's unconscious. Let's go."

"I'm not going to leave her here," I stammer. Cato pretends he hasn't heard me, so I carefully pick Serena up and fling her over my right shoulder- the one that wasn't cut open by Lover Boy- before beginning to walk behind him without a word. I'm exhausted due to the lack of sleep and the attempt to escape the inferno sent by the Gamemakers, and my cheek feels as if it is on fire, but I don't care. I'll carry Serena for as long as it takes.

"What did you bring her for?" Cato asks harshly, when he looks back and finds me trying to find a position in which Serena doesn't hit her head on my backpack. "You're only slowing us down."

"I said I wouldn't leave her behind," I snarl. "And in case you haven't noticed, Clove is behind me, so I would say she's the one who's slowing us down. Do you think we should leave her as well?"

For a second, Cato seems about to take out his sword and plunge it in my heart, but then his gaze falls upon Clove, who's struggling to keep herself awake, and his expression softens. "There's a spring an hour away," he encourages, although it's clear his words are aimed at Clove. "We can stop when we get there. Come on, don't give up!"

I hear Clove speed up behind me, and in no time she's walking up front, along with Cato; I'm now the one falling behind, with only Lover Boy to keep me company. Serena hasn't woken up yet and I'm starting to get worried.

"Do you need help?" he suddenly asks, after about fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence. "I can carry her for a while."

I gape at him; even though I'm drenched in sweat and my shoulder is getting numb, handing Serena to Lover Boy is the last thing I want to do. "No, thanks," I say. "I think we're almost there, anyway."

"I don't mind, really. She doesn't seem heavy."

Before I manage to refuse his offer again, however- this time a little less kindly, since he didn't seem to understand it the first time- we're both startled when a weak voice says "You can put me down now, Marvel."

"Serena!" The relief in my voice is obvious. "You're awake!"

_Serena_

I woke up a while ago, but I was still feeling so dizzy that if I tried to tell Marvel anything, I'm sure I would throw up. Actually, I didn't even realize where I was right away- I opened my eyes and everything was spinning around, and when it finally stopped, I was paralyzed when I saw the ground – much farther than usual- moving in front of my eyes. Then I saw the familiar fabric of Marvel's jacket.

_I'm on his shoulder. Why am I on his shoulder? _I thought. Then it dawned on me: he came back during the fire and protected me, at the risk of becoming roast Marvel. I was so overwhelmed by gratitude and my love for him that for a moment I forgot my suspicions; but they came back as soon as I heard Lover Boy's voice: every time he speaks, I'm reminded of how far a boy's lies can go. And he was offering to carry me! No way. Not in a million years.

So I decided to make myself noticed and told Marvel he could put me down, even though he was refusing Lover Boy's offer.

"I'm not a porcelain doll, I can walk by myself," I say, when Marvel pretends he hasn't heard me and keeps walking.

"Alright, suit yourself." Marvel puts his hands over my ribs and effortlessly pulls me away from his shoulder, holding me a little longer than necessary against his chest. It takes all of my willpower- not to mention the fact Lover Boy is watching us- not to bury my face on the front of his blouse and pathetically sob against it.

"Thank you," I say, as he gently puts me down. I immediately regret acting strong, because as soon as I land my right foot on the ground, I'm shaken by a violent wave of pain.

Oh, that's right. I fell. No wonder Cato thinks I'm useless.

"Shall we go?" I ask, trying to sound cheerful. I start walking as fast as I can, hopping on my left foot in a bad attempt to pretend nothing's wrong.

I only manage to hop a dozen steps before Marvel catches me. "Why are you," he asks with exasperation, as he hooks an arm around my waist in order to help me walk. "So freaking _stubborn_?"

"I told you I can walk!" I protest, but to no avail; Marvel drags me all the way up to the water spring, ignoring my sporadic attempts at freeing myself and Lover Boy's amused glances.

"Finally!" Although she's being her usual impatient self, Glimmer is not able to hide a smile when she sees us. "Took you long enough," she says, winking at me.

"We got held back because Serena here has decided to play hopscotch." Marvel walks up to a tree and forces me to sit down next to it, with my back resting against the trunk. "Stay here," he orders, before darting towards the water. He comes back a minute later, holding his bottle. Marvel kneels in front of me and begins to take off my boot and my sock, revealing my slightly swollen foot.

"That's nothing. I'm fi-" I can't help a cry of pain when Marvel presses his thumb on my ankle.

"Sorry." Marvel looks at me with concern. "I think it's sprained."

"Oh, that's just great," I groan. "Now how am I supposed to walk?"

"If I had brought my first-aid kit, I'd help you. But since I haven't…" Marvel slips his backpack off his shoulders and places it so that my foot is resting on it; then he grabs his bottle and carefully holds it against my aching ankle: the water inside is pleasantly cold, and I let out a relieved sigh. "Better?" he asks, scrutinizing me with his green eyes.

"Yes," I stutter. Marvel keeps touching my calf in order to prevent the bottle from rolling away, and I can't help but think how those hands usually make me feel, especially when he's trying to run them _way_ higher up my leg. "But you shouldn't worry about me. That burn looks pretty bad, maybe you should have taken care of it first."

Marvel shrugs. "Well, what more can I do? I've already poured cold water over it, and it doesn't even hurt that much anymore."

"I still have morphling pills in my backpack," I say blankly. "You can have one. It won't cure the burn, but it will avoid the pain."

I stare at Marvel, expecting him to let go of my leg so he can take the pill, but he leans forward instead; I hold my breath, fearing the moment when he decides he's had enough with my sudden indifference and just does what he does best, which is to get my head even more messed up than it already is- most likely with the use of his lips and/or hands. However, Marvel's expression is serious, and he's gazing into my eyes with such intensity that I start wishing I could disappear into the tree behind me. "That's it," he says harshly. "There's something you're not telling me, and it stops _now_. Come on, spit it out."

I glance around nervously, looking for someone to get him off me, but the others are still by the water, and we're hidden by the thick trunk of the tree. Right now, we're only being watched by the Gamemakers and the Capitol citizens-it's still early, though, so most of them are asleep, while the people in the districts are probably already working. And people in the Capitol won't want to help me- they will be ecstatic if Marvel kisses me, but they will be even more thrilled if he kills me. That's just how their minds work.

"I'm not hiding anything," I whisper, so low that Marvel leans even closer to me in order to hear me; I didn't notice, but he's moved his hands and put them around my wrists in an iron grip.

"Don't lie to me, Serena." I hold up my chin, even though I'm getting scared- whenever Marvel addresses me by my name, there's a fair chance that he's very angry. "You've been avoiding me since I left you alone with Cato and Lover Boy. What did they do to you?"

I swallow; it's impossible for Marvel not to see how fast my chest is going up and down. "They didn't do anything. I just… think we should be more careful. Which means," I add insecurely. "That you're crossing the line."

The grip around my wrists tightens. "Oh. I see," Marvel says tonelessly.

_He's had it_, I think, my heart pounding against my ribs. _He's had it because he was only keeping me alive so we could fool around, and now that I said he can't do it anymore, I'm going to die. _Then I look closer, and I'm taken aback when I realize his eyes are filled with pain.

Suddenly, I hate myself- Marvel risked his life for me, and I keep giving him the cold shoulder. I hate myself for doubting him. But I can't help it- we're in the arena, after all, and this is all too new for me to be sure of anything.

And mostly I hate myself for not being able to stay away from him.

"I mean it," I continue shakily. "Glimmer already knows too much. Lover Boy suspects something for sure. And let's not get started on Chip. If Cato and Clove find out…"

"Oh, please. Do you think they care? Do you think _anyone_ cares, as long as we do our job and kill a tribute every day? Face it, we're no star-crossed lovers. If I die, no one will care. Not even you."

I try to tell myself that the only reason I reach forward and press my lips against his is to make him shut up and stop being sorry for himself- I mean, really? Has he forgotten he has family and friends?- but who am I kidding? It appears I can't go a day without Marvel's kisses, which make me feel hot and cold at the same time; but above all, they make me feel happy. Cherished. Wanted.

I'm slightly aware that what we're doing is absolutely wrong- especially if we take into account what I was trying to tell him- as Marvel raises one of his hands to cup my cheek, while the other rests on my back, keeping me close to him; but everything, from his smell- ash and metal, coated with sweat, a mix that I usually wouldn't find particularly appealing, but that keeps reminding me that he saved my life- to the way he's whispering my name makes me want to stay here forever.

Marvel pulls away and studies my face, gently caressing my lips with his fingertips. Then he smiles knowingly. "It's good to have you back, Baby-face."

I gape at him, as his words and mischievous expression sink in. "I can't believe I fell for that! You… You-"

"I knew you'd come to your senses." Marvel winks at me and fetches the pills from by backpack, taking one for himself and one for me. "But you were really starting to worry me."

Glimmer chooses that moment to appear, before I manage to think of an insult; this time, she doesn't even blink when she sees us alone. "Cato says we have to go," she informs. "We're getting back to our camping to get supplies and then we'll go hunting."

The walk back to the camping is much quicker, now that we've rested and I can walk by myself thanks to the morphling- with the help of a spear I borrowed from Marvel to use as a crutch, since I very stupidly dropped my trident when I passed out; my ankle is still swollen, but the pain is gone.

The pills have left me a bit light-headed as well. "Hi, Chip," I say cheerfully, as I limp past him. He widens his eyes at me. "How's your booby-trap going?"

"Good," he says, still surprised. "I was just beginning to dig up the land mines."

Before I manage to ask Chip if he needs help, Marvel grabs my arm and pulls me away from him. "Whoever made these pills was probably not counting on clumsy one-hundred-pound girls feeling side effects. No more morphling for you," he grumbles to himself, frowning. "Now let's see if we can get an hour or so of sleep."

"Okay," I say, and I don't even protest when he drags me to his sleeping bag. _After all_, I think, as I rest my head on his already familiar chest, _how many more times will I be able to do this?_

* * *

Evening is beginning to fall, and I didn't sleep as much as I would like to, but it was still enough to keep me up and running as fast as my sprained ankle allows me- which isn't very fast, but the fire has slowed down all of us, so I'm still able to keep up with the others. In fact, the fire was some kind of motivation: we're sure it was meant to push the other tributes closer to us, and now we're searching the woods again, with the eagerness of a pack of wolves after their prey.

"Don't lower your spear," Marvel advises, preparing his own weapon. I nod, and clutch my spear more firmly, causing my knuckles to turn white- there's a small pool ahead, but there's no doubt that the sound of the water isn't the only thing we're hearing: there's an almost inaudible splash, and something tells me it's not an animal.

"Now!" Cato suddenly orders, and it is as if he just fired a gun; the six of us instantly speed up towards the water, spears, knives and bow at the ready. However, we're still far away when the girl realizes we're coming and bolts away from the pool, moving quickly through the trees, despite her obvious limping.

"It's Katniss!" I squeal, when I spot the dark braid disappearing through the leaves a few yards ahead. "We found her!"

Glimmer looks behind, as she takes an arrow from her sheath. "Come on, Serena, move faster!" she encourages, before placing the arrow on the bow.

Adrenaline shooting through my body, I speed up, following Cato's voice as he yells orders at whoever is running along with him. "Wait for me!" I cry, between coughs (my lungs are still resenting all that smoke); Marvel runs past me and reaches out his hand, pulling me with him, and I ignore the throbbing pain on my ankle as I do my best to keep up with him.

"Hurry up, we've almost got her!" Clove's excited voice is getting closer, which means we're already near Katniss. We'll kill her, and Lover Boy goes next.

Shoving away a bunch of leaves with my spear, I'm finally able to see that Lover Boy, Glimmer, Cato, and Clove are standing by a tree, looking up. I let go of Marvel's hand as we walk up to the base of the trunk, and then I follow their gaze: Katniss is trapped on the tree, staring down at us, and for a moment her scared grey eyes meet mine. I squint: she's about twenty feet above my head, and the tree she's chosen to climb is high- _really_ high. There's no way I'm going up there; I'm getting dizzy just by looking up.

"How's everything with you?" Katniss asks, smiling.

I widen my eyes and gape at her. _You idiot, we're about to kill you!_ I want to shout. But it's better not to do that, since that could end up with Cato ordering me to climb the tree.

"Well enough," Cato says amusingly. I can tell he's already hearing the cannon. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste," Katniss continues calmly. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

For a moment, it crosses my mind that Katniss is actually insane- that would explain a lot about her and her relationship with Lover Boy, who seems to be pretending he doesn't know her- but then I take a good look at her and finally understand what she's doing.

"Think I will," Cato says lightly. I glance at him; he's so focused on killing Katniss that he doesn't realize none of us can follow her up that tree, not even me -if I could climb, of course: yes, I might be tiny, and my clothes may make me look bigger than I actually am, giving Katniss a false sense of security; but she is still smaller than me, and she's lived all her life on the brink of starvation, whereas I could always count with four complete meals a day. Compared to her, I actually look like a Career.

"Here, take this, Cato." Glimmer seems to have realized the same as me, because she promptly offers her bow and arrows to Cato, probably wanting to avoid his rage when he finally realizes he's too heavy.

"No," he says stubbornly, pushing away the bow. "I'll do better with my sword." Glimmer and I exchange glances, but we don't say anything. Cato jumps, grabs a branch and begins to climb with difficulty, while Katniss quickly goes up another thirty feet. I tear my gaze away from Cato and study the others around me, to see if they have figured out what's about to happen: Glimmer and Lover Boy obviously have, judging from the amusement in his eyes and Glimmer's raised eyebrow, but Clove looks completely stunned, convinced that her Cato is going to succeed. I can't help but smile at Marvel's face: he's eagerly following what's happening over his head with his eyes wide and his mouth half-open, reminding me of a Capitol kid I once saw gaping at the ocean back home.

I'm distracted by the crack, and I turn my head just in time to see Cato and the branch he was hanging from falling from a considerable height. I cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud; Cato is waving his arms frenetically as if he's hoping to magically start flying- the resemblance between him and a big fat chicken, and his startled expression when he violently hits the ground are just hilarious. Marvel elbows me to shut me up, when I let out a muffled laughter, but I notice he's trying to hide a smile.

"Shit!" Cato yells as he climbs to his feet, his face red with shame and anger. "I was so fucking close!" His blue, slightly red-shot eyes fall on me. "You-" I swallow and try not to shake; he wants me to climb that tree, and he won't take a no for an answer.

"Glimmer, you go," Marvel cuts off when he sees my face. I exhale, relieved, as Glimmer nods and puts down her bow so she can scale the tree more easily. She manages to climb higher than Cato, but the branches start cracking nevertheless, and she decides to come down, looking annoyed as she lands with a thump.

Then, she grabs her bow, muttering curses and something about having to go on a diet under her breath, and prepares an arrow; we stare at her expectantly as she aims it at Katniss's heart, but the arrow flies freely through the air next to the tree and ends up disappearing on the darkening sky.

Glimmer grits her teeth and shoots another arrow, this time hitting the bark next to Katniss; she pulls it out and waves it, mocking us: this makes me so angry I forget about my fear and take a step forward, intended on wiping that grin off her face, but Marvel pulls me by my hood. "You're not going anywhere with a sprained ankle," he hisses. I reluctantly regroup with the other Careers, with Marvel still grabbing my jacket.

"How are we getting that bitch to come down?" Cato asks, rubbing his neck.

"We could set the tree on fire. Then it would be the Girl on Fire on the Tree on Fire!" Clove suggests, grinning evilly.

Glimmer widens her eyes at her. "No! No more fire. God, what is _wrong_ with you?"

"I could ask you the same question, princess. Your arrows weren't very effective, in case you haven't noticed."

"Oh, and I'm sure your knives would have been more useful!"

"You can bet on it!"

Marvel crosses his arms over his chest and raises his eyebrows. "What if we chop down the tree?"

"That's a great idea," I say, relieved that he's cut off the argument between Glimmer and Clove. "But it would take forever. Besides, we'd have to go back and look for an axe… And last time I checked, none of us was from District 7." I roll my eyes when five people gape at me. "District 7? Lumber? Does _anyone_ here know how to chop down a tree?"

"It's probably not that hard," says Cato.

"What if it falls on our heads?" Marvel seems to have reconsidered his idea and is now busy playing with the waistband on the back of my pants, taking the opportunity that it's getting dark; I slap his hand and he stops.

"Oh, let her stay up there," Peeta shuts us up, just like he did the last time an argument broke off. "It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."

* * *

I hold my blanket tighter around my shoulders and gaze at the fire on the torch, completely hypnotized- this one's not destructive, like the one we had to face last night, or beautifully blinding, like the one in Katniss's dress. It's comforting, and almost makes me forget that she's stuck in a tree, several feet over my head.

Marvel forces me out of my daze by stretching loudly on the ground behind me. "I'm exhausted," he yawns. "What do you say you come over here and keep me awake, Baby-face?"

"I'm cold," I say tonelessly, not tearing my gaze from the flames. Everyone's asleep except for the two of us and Glimmer, who has volunteered to be on guard- she said she took a good nap back at the camping, while we only managed to sleep a couple of hours. "I'll stay by the fire, if you don't mind."

I'm not surprised when I feel Marvel's hands on my waist, dragging me onto his lap, and I don't even try to stop him, since it's useless to- it's incredible how he always gets what he wants. Marvel lays back, wrapping his arms around me and my blanket, and places a small kiss on my lips. "There," he whispers cheerfully. "Now you're warm."

"Your lips are freezing," I scorn. They could be made of ice, and they'd still make my face heat up, but there's no way I'm telling him that.

"They need some action." Marvel pouts his lips and makes a terrible- and noisy- impersonation of someone blowing a kiss. I chuckle and kiss him on the nose, much to his chagrin. "Oh, come on," he says hurtfully. "A man has needs!"

"Goodnight, Marvel." I turn on my side and shut my eyes.

"I'm having my revenge in the morning," he threatens.

"I know," I say lightly, and he doesn't elaborate. A minute later, his regular breathing fills my ears, but I still can't sleep. I don't know how long I lie there, not moving, but when I decide to stretch my legs, the light of the torch has almost completely faded. I tiptoe to my backpack to get some matches to light the fire again-apparently Glimmer's earlier nap wasn't that good, since she's sleeping against a tree- and then back to the torch, still wrapped in my blanket.

"Couldn't sleep, uh?"

I'm so startled I almost drop the match box; I spin on my heels, and find Lover Boy's blue eyes gleaming in the faint light. "What do you want?" I ask defensively.

"Just wanted someone to talk to. Insomnia makes me feel pretty lonely."

"Leave me alone," I say shakily.

Peeta chuckles, though not mockingly. "You don't trust me," he says, matter-of-factly.

I clutch my blanket firmly, as if it could protect me from his scrutiny. "You're right. I don't."

"Why?" The interest in his voice is genuine.

"It's complicated," I reply blankly, trying to end the conversation. "I don't think you'd understand."

"Try me."

"Let's just say," I lower my eyes to the match box, and begin opening and closing it. "I think you're too good of an actor. Which is a nice way to say I think you're a lying bastard"

"You don't believe I'm actually helping you." Peeta is not able to hide the amusement in his voice; he tilts his chin, poiting at the darkness where I suppose Katniss is sleeping. "And I guess this is not enough to convince you."

I shake my head vigorously, frustrated that he doesn't understand. No one does. "It's not that."

"What is it, then?"

He already knows I don't trust him, so I might as well be honest. "It must have taken a lot of nerve, to fool everyone like that. I bet all those 'star-crossed lovers' fans aren't very happy right now." I shrug. "I suppose you've lost your sponsors."

Peeta smiles, and in the faint light of the dying fire I can only see his eyes and teeth. "I can't believe you're worried about _that,_" he says. "I know I'm not. As long as there's blood, I don't think the spectators will mind the lack of romance."

"Well then, good for you," I say harshly, before turning my back to him and finally lighting a match.

"He's not pretending," Peeta says gently behind me.

I put out the match with trembling hands, and turn to face him again. "Who isn't?"

"Marvel," Peeta explains, "That's your real problem, isn't it? You're afraid he'll turn out to be a… _lying bastard_ like me. But I guarantee you he won't."

I feel a chill going down my spine. "How would you know?"

Peeta rolls his eyes. "You're awfully naïve for a Career, you know that?"

"I am _not_! Why would I believe you? How do I know it's not another one of your lies?"

"What would be the gain?" Peeta shrugs. "I could say Marvel told me he is only taking advantage of you and doesn't really hold any feelings, and expect you to go and kill him in his sleep, so I could end your life myself and pretend you had killed each other. Easy and quick." I shoot him a disgusted look. "I _could_ tell you that, but instead I'm telling you the truth. Marvel is in love with you."

"You think so?" I whisper. He's right; he's not doing himself any favors on telling me this. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. It's something in the way he looks at you, as if no one else is around. I must say he's got some guts, calling _me_ Lover Boy. I thought he was going to strangle me when I asked him if he needed any help carrying you."

For the first time, I smile at Peeta. "Marvel has a bit of a jealous nature."

"That's an understatement," Peeta says amusingly. "Maybe you should go back to him before he wakes up and finds you talking with me. I'm not ready to die yet."

"Perhaps you're right." I'm now openly beaming at him. "Thanks… Peeta."

For a moment, he seems surprised that I've addressed him by his real name, before grinning again. "You're welcome, Lover Girl."

As I head back to the shadow that is Marvel's sleeping figure, it occurs to me that I didn't ask Peeta what was keeping him awake. _It's not important_, I think, as I kneel down next to Marvel and take in his features: I want to be able to remember this moment for as long as I live- which may not be much longer, but my heart is bursting with happiness anyway. _He loves me!_ I reach my hand and gently run my fingers along the burn on his cheek. _But he doesn't know I love him._

Maybe I should tell him; we don't have much time, after all. I think about waking him, but immediately quit the idea when I see how peaceful he looks. _It can wait for tomorrow_, I think, kissing him lightly on the lips; I'm not sure, but I can almost swear he smiles in his sleep.

_I'll tell him first thing in the morning,_ is the last thought I hold before curling up next to Marvel and dozing off.

* * *

**Wow, I had no idea that this chapter was so long until I actually managed to upload it!**

**As usual, I want to thank knads98 (I will check your story as soon as possible ^^), Luli Cullen, julesjumper (I'm glad your exam went well :D), WxXBeautifulXxXDreamerXxX, and ILoveWingsAndPatrick (Thanks for pointing out! :) I'm still getting used to English grammar, which is slightly different from the Portuguese one, but I'm already working on that punctuation)**

**Once again, thanks for reading!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Oh my God, I'm so, SO sorry I haven't updated in two weeks :( I ended up going away for the holidays...**

**Anyway... Here's chapter 22.**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

_Marvel_

The attack comes out of nowhere, without warning. One moment, I'm on that state between being asleep and awake, feeling the heat of Serena's hand on mine, and the next I'm hearing something explode next to her, and she's shrieking "Marvel, go!"

I'm up and running before I'm even fully awake, and I don't realize what's happening until I hear the buzz- a persistent, angry buzz that's becoming dangerously close.

_Tracker jackers_, I'm somehow able to make through my blurry mind.

"To the lake! To the lake!" Clove cries, in panic, as she storms off past me. I speed up and blindly follow her, still half-asleep, trying to escape the furious swarm that's coming after me. I can already see the surface of the lake, reflecting the light from the rising sun, when they reach me- I feel the first painful sting on the back of my neck, then another on my healthy cheek, and I count three more on my arms, hands and back before I dive into the lake.

As soon as my head hits the cold water, I'm finally able to think clearly. Katniss Everdeen dropped a tracker jacker nest on us.

_She's going to pay_, I think as I swim along the bottom of the lake.

When my lungs can't take it anymore, I emerge my head; the tracker jackers are gone, and I don't see anyone, but I keep swimming nevertheless, just like Serena taught me.

Serena is okay; I know she is. She was already awake when I started running, and she runs as fast as I do.

I freeze.

_She's sprained her ankle_.

I dart out of the water faster than if I would have if I was still being chased by the wasps, and frenetically turn my head in every direction; she's nowhere to be seen. "Serena!" I call, my voice cracking as I run along the lake, back to where I came from. "Serena!" I call louder, trying to block out the sensation that the trees are bending over, reaching their branches to me in an attempt to squash the swellings that have formed on my body.

My heart drops and I forget about the trees when I see the familiar blue jacket on the ground near the lake, almost completely hidden by a bush, with two braids popping out of it like a forgotten doll.

_No_.

_Serena_

Two- that's how many tracker jackers get to me before I even manage to get up. Three, as I scream at Marvel to save himself. Four, as I get up on my sore foot, and five as I try to protect my face. I feel the sixth and seventh stings when I finally get my legs to start moving, but I'm already so wobbly that I'm not sure I will make it.

Behind me, I can hear Glimmer shrieking, as she is stung repeatedly. "Help! Please!" she begs, but I don't look behind. I can't help her, and no one can help me.

I painfully stagger to the lake, stumbling on my own feet, with Glimmer's screams filling my ears, and three more tracker jackers find their way to my swelling flesh. I can already spot the safety of the water when suddenly the trees around me start spinning, and I fall flat on my stomach on the ground as my ankle gets stuck on something.

But when my face hits the dirt, the ground isn't there- it's much further than it should be. Much, much further. I'm upside down, hanging on the edge of a cliff, and the only thing keeping me from falling is the snake wrapped around my foot; I close my eyes, trying to steady my breath.

_I'm going to die._

I lay there, feeling my mind get more and more foggy, and list the people I will never see again: Sally. Annie. Finnick. My sisters. Murphy. My nephew, who I will never get the chance to meet. Mags. I think I even miss Alida.

Marvel.

_Grandma was right_, I think as I feel a tear rolling down my cheek; I can't even move anymore. _I made a mistake._ _And now I'm going to die alone, and he will never know how much he means to me._

Then, someone pushes me off the cliff, and I scream at the top of my lungs as I fall.

_Marvel_

Serena is still breathing when I reach her, but I can tell she's weak. I desperately free her foot from the tree root it is stuck in, and put my arms around her swollen body in order to drag her to the lake: we met in a pool; our first kiss was in that same pool. The water is her element, and it can heal her. I know it can. Or at least that's the only thing that makes sense right now.

But the moment I try to lift her, she starts screaming.

The sound is absolutely distressful, piercing through my ears and ripping my heart apart, and it doesn't stop when I hold her closely in my arms, or even when I plunge her in the water. I feel completely powerless, as I see Serena- my Serena- dying in front of me, her beautiful face distorted by a sting the size of a plum under her eye, and her dark eyes unable to see me as she fades into a horrifying hallucination.

"Shh," I try to soothe her, but it's of no use. She can't hear me. Panicking, I begin to pull out the stingers, hoping it will stop some of the venom from entering her circulation, but deep down I know she's doomed. I try pouring some water over her forehead, but that just causes her to squirm and attempt to kick some invisible enemy, threatening to slip from my grasp and drown.

Suddenly, Serena lets out the most heartbreaking scream I have ever heard, as the first cannon fires. These two sounds combined send me into a frenzy. That cannon could be announcing my death, that I wouldn't care less. "No! Don't die!" I plead. "Look at me, Serena! _Look at me!_"

And she does look at me. For a moment, I can see a glint of life in her eyes, and she stops screaming; it's like she's trying to say something. I lower my face to hers, like I did so many times, but she's stopped talking; the only thing left is her weakening breath.

_Serena_

_Glimmer._

Somehow, in my hallucination, I know that she's dead, and the only thing I can do is scream louder at the loss of someone only now I realize was my friend.

"Look at me!"

_That voice._

Marvel's desperate pleading cuts right through the fog, and I can see him now- a bit distorted, and his face is as swollen as I think mine is, but there's no doubt it's him.

His eyes are the same colour as the sea.

"I love you," I whisper, but only a ragged sound comes out.

Then, those green eyes I know so well dawn on me, growing bigger as they get closer, just like a wave; I shut my own eyes and imagine the wave has just engulfed me, and that I will come to the surface and find my beloved beach. Finnick, Annie and Sally will be there, waving and calling me. And Grandma will be waiting to tell me a story.

_I'm coming home._

_Marvel_

I kiss Serena lightly on the lips, like I used to do when she was sleeping. "Goodbye, Baby-face," I whisper, just as the cannon fires.

She's gone.

Unable to keep it anymore, I howl like a wounded animal and refuse to let go of Serena's body. They'll have to take me with her.

I don't care if I'm being censored, or if right now my family and friends are gawking at the screen, as I hold a dead girl in my arms_. See what you've done!_, I want to shout at the cameras. But all I can do is hold Serena tighter and wait for the hovercraft to take us from here, or hope the Gamemakers decide it's time for me to get off her and finish me off right here.

However, I don't get to find out what happens when a tribute doesn't step away from a body, because suddenly Serena starts bleeding- first it's just a red drop, but it quickly covers her face, as she disintegrates before my horrified eyes. She's turning into foam- not pure white, like in her story, but blood-stained foam, lazily floating away on the water, which has become just as red and thick.

I freak out at this transformation and stumble away from the bloody lake, just as a blue-tinted Lover Boy darts past me with a spear in his hand, with Cato- who for some reason is green- closely following him. I lean against a tree for support, dripping water and sweat, and I hear Serena whisper my name as she slips a hand under my shirt. I shake my head; this is all happening in my mind. A second later, I scream as I find out that what I thought was Serena's hand is actually a big orange spider clinging to my chest and biting my wound, ripping off pieces of my skin; I shake it off in panic and set off running after Lover Boy and Cato, trying to ignore the ground escaping below my feet.

I storm out of a bush, and almost trip on something I recognize with a twist of my stomach as Glimmer- or what used to be Glimmer; I manage to grab a spear and my backpack, along with Serena's, before I'm distracted by a cry of pain. I squint, trying to discern the struggling figures a few feet away from me. "You son of a bitch!" Cato yells enraged, as he plunges his sword in Lover Boy's leg.

Lover Boy- or is it a giant snail?- crawls away, leaving a track of bright yellow blood; I try to pull myself together and make my painful way back to the camping, watched by the hundreds of accusing eyes that have covered the tree trunks around me: a closer look shows me they're the same eyes, repeated over and over again- the eyes of my victims; the eyes of my family; Serena's unseeing gaze as she faded away.

The second I reach the camping, I collapse, her last scream echoing through my mind.

* * *

"_Crystal Gould!" Marcus calls cheerfully from his podium._

_My sister steps to the stage, her honey-blonde hair gleaming in the sunlight, and her dress a little bit too short for her figure, showing the growth spurt she's recently been through._

"_I volunteer!"_

_I don't even know the girl, but I'm so grateful._

"_Get her out of there! Garnet, please get my little girl off that stage!"_

_The scene dissolves, and I'm sitting on the couch with Jem curled up on my lap, while Crystal stares at the door, with tears silently streaming down her face._

"_That could have been our daughter!" my father yells. "We could have had a victor in the family!"_

"_She's thirteen!"_

"_She's strong enough!"_

_Next to me, Crystal lets out a sob, and the sitting room dissolves around us once again, and we're running to the water. "To the lake! To the lake!" someone cries, and I pull Jem with me as Crystal reaches the sparkly surface._

_However, before she manages to dive into the lake, something jumps out of the depths and runs a dagger along her throat, without even giving her time to cry for help. I slip on the grass, soaked in Crystal's blood, and all I can see is the blue sky as I fall on my back. Jem, my little brother, starts screaming and pleading; there's a horrible ripping sound and suddenly he stops. I get up on one elbow just as the thing that killed my siblings turns to face me._

_Her rotting skin is a sick grayish-white, from spending so much time in the water, and her lifeless long hair is sticking to her face, with seaweed tangled in it. Serena turns her empty eyesockets to me, and speaks with a voice full of pain._

"_I'm sorry, Marvel. I have to go home."_

_And she plunges the dagger in my heart._

* * *

The sun rising over the lake is the first thing I see when I'm finally able to tear my shaky eyelids apart; I'm soaked with moist from the grass and my own sweat, and my neck is pulsing painfully, just like my back and limbs. I take my free hand- the one that's not clutching a spear firmly- to the swelling and pull out the stinger. I clench my teeth as a cold liquid pours from the hole it left on my flesh, and slowly sit up so I can remove the remaining ones.

Suddenly, I'm distracted by a persistent noise; I turn my head as far as my neck allows me, and find Chip working on what appears to be a plastic box; apart from a slight swelling on his shoulder, he seems alright.

I wobble my way to him. "How long was I uncounscious?" I stammer.

Chip doesn't look me in the eye when he replies, "Two days."

"You sure?" I ask suspiciously. "I can see you were stung too. How do you know how much time has passed?"

"I was only stung once." Chip hesitates for a second. "I woke up in time to see the faces."

I press my hands against my eyes, trying to block out a headache. "What faces?"

"Glimmer. Serena," he says in a low voice.

I drop my arms as everything comes flooding back- how I ran away without even looking behind. How I didn't protect Serena and was unable to save her. The hallucinations. I suppose she didn't actually dissolve into bloody foam, but I admit it never crossed my mind that the first cannon I heard was meant for Glimmer- I thought her swollen body was part of the hallucination. "No one else?" I ask tonelessly.

"No. The others woke up yesterday, but they were still very weak." I can tell Chip has something more he wants to say, but since he remains silent I walk away from him and head to the lake to drink some water.

When I get back, it strikes me just how empty the camping feels- aside from Chip, I can only spot Cato and Clove whispering to one another a few feet ahead; Lover Boy is nowhere to be seen, and there's no Glimmer to make sarcastic remarks and try to keep me in line. But mostly, Serena's not there to welcome me with either a defiant silence- just inviting me to tease her- or a warm kiss. My heart is breaking with the realization that I will never- _ever_- hear her laugh again, or hold her hand, or kiss her lips when she's mad at me or scared.

And it is all my fault.

I slowly walk up to Cato and Clove, my only remaining allies, but suddenly Cato gets up and strides towards me. "Oh, look who's awake," he says sarcastically, and I freeze on my spot, waiting to hear whatever he's about to say; I don't even see Cato's fist until it crashes into my face with such violence that I stumble back and fall; the pain is so intense that for a moment I can't see straight. "You useless piece of shit!" Cato yells, as he kicks me in the stomach. I curl up, feeling the warm blood dripping from my nose, and wait for it to end, but knowing Cato, it can take hours. "I told you he was your responsibility! _Let him tag along, _you said," he mocks me in a high-pitched voice. "_What's the harm_, you said! And all the time- He. Was. Helping. _Her_!" Cato marks each of his last four words with a kick.

"Cato!" Clove scolds. "Enough!"

Cato grabs the front of my blouse and effortlessly lifts me off the ground. "And now, thanks to you and your _ingenious _plan, Glimmer and your dear Serena are dead," he snarls, before he shoves me back to the ground.

I would rather be punched again: hearing someone say out loud what I feared in my mind to be true is a million times worse. "We never needed them, Cato," Clove says harshly. "Glimmer was nothing more than a pretty face meant to gather sponsors, and Serena was weak." Her yellowish eyes fall on me. "Not to mention a distraction. But now that she's gone, you can finally show what you're truly made of. That is, if you're still with us."

For a second, it crosses my mind telling them that the alliance is over, that I don't want anything to do with the likes of them: they'd probably try to kill me, yes, but why would I care? But then I think about it- they're right, I had been so busy keeping Serena safe that I forgot why I was here in the first place. Now I can focus solely on one purpose: win these Games, to make my father proud.

And for her.

Serena once told me that if she didn't survive, she wanted me to win, so I could tell her family she loved them, and I intend to stay true to my word.

Right after I get my revenge on Lover Boy and Katniss Everdeen.

I spit out some blood that has gotten in my mouth. "What happened to Lover Boy?"

"He's dying," says Cato. "Slashed him right on the leg. But his girlfriend escaped thanks to him, and we're still trying to track her down. So, are you with us or against us?"

I'm a little disappointed to hear Lover Boy won't last much longer; I was hoping to have the chance of killing him right in front of Katniss, so she could experience some of the pain I'm feeling right now, right before I kill her. But knowing she's alive is a start.

I grin, as I feel something snap inside me. "Let's kill the bitch."

* * *

**Okay, so... yeah. I confess I cried like a river while writing this chapter- also because I decided to listen to music that would match the mood for inspiration, and ended up listening to The Death of Jane Seymour, from The Tudors soundtrack. If you try listening to it while reading, I guarantee you'll cry.**

**I apologize to those who thought Serena would live, but I've been saying from the beginning I would stick to canon- but don't forget, the last chapter will be AU! **

**As usual, a special thanks to Allygrlfrnd, Luli Cullen and julesjumper (as soon as I can, I'll check out your story :D), who reviewed the last chapter :)**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

I can hear Cato and Clove whispering as I feverishly tangle my fifth net with my bleeding fingers; I know they're talking about me- I can see it in the concerned glances they shoot me once in a while.

They think I've lost it.

Perhaps they're right.

I can tell they regret giving me the chance to keep the alliance; but I don't care. I'm not even planning on staying for long- I only told them I was on their side so I could have more time to plan my strategy; I'm leaving the Careers for good first chance I get. _They're not even that smart_, I think, as I begin tangling another net. _They're expecting the other tributes to magically pop out of nowhere and neatly stand in line as they wait for us to kill them_.

I've already packed my stuff, so I can leave whenever I want- I didn't even take any food from the now booby-trapped supply pyramid, choosing to rely on the pack of dried fruit I never got to retrieve from my backpack, so that Cato and Clove wouldn't suspect anything- not that it matters, anyway; thanks to Serena, I'm now able to catch fishes, and perhaps even animals, even though the nets are not exactly meant for them. I gathered some knives and two spare spearheads, and then searched Serena's backpack for anything useful: I decided to keep her flashlight, a couple of matches she had left, a leather pouch, and the bandages, which I added to my first-aid kit; my gloves were nowhere in sight, so I suppose Serena still had them with her when she died.

I know it's very likely I will need it, but couldn't bear to keep the blanket; it still smelled like her. I buried it on the freshly stirred ground next to the metal plate that lifted me to the arena, when no one was watching. I thought about burying the plastic white lily as well, but I gave up that idea- it's now part of my bracelet, and the only way anyone is getting it out of my wrist is by chopping my hand off.

I tangle four more nets before the sun dives behind the Cornucopia, making it impossible to see just how damaged my hands are; I raise my eyes from the pile of rope. It's time to go hunting.

* * *

"And exactly what," Clove's tone if scornful, but I notice a hint of fear, like she's not sure of my sanity. "Are you doing, Marvel?"

"Planting flowers," I reply sarcastically. "I'm setting a trap, what else does it look like I'm doing?"

"We don't need that," Cato says harshly. "Perhaps Serena did, but I'd rather trust my sword."

"Oh, and you had plenty of chances to use it." I tie a knot and begin spreading leaves to hide the trap, which I have decided to set by the water, where it's most likely to catch a tribute. "We even managed to kill every tribute we ran into!" I'm not even trying to hide the irony in my voice. I just stopped caring.

Cato turns red at my accusation that he's not doing his job right. "I don't see _you_ killing anyone."

"I'm working on it," I reply blankly, before I grab the rest of the nets and my spear, turning my back to him and walking away.

It goes on like this for the rest of the night: I walk in silence ahead of Cato and Clove, who seem more willing to kill me every time I force them to stop so I can prepare a trap, and freeze on my tracks every once in a while in order to plan my next move. By the time the dim morning light appears I'm already out of nets, and I'm going back to the camping using the path where I came from, despite Cato's protests.

"Stop!" he spits, when he decides he's had enough. "We're going nowhere with this nonsense."

I shoot him a look full of hatred. "I thought we were a team," I say. "I'm just as much of a leader as you, which means I don't have to take orders from anyone."

Cato takes out his sword. "I should have done this the moment you insisted on bringing that useless little whore of yours after the fire," he snarls; I just stare at him calmly and raise my spear, even though all I want is to tear him to shreds with my bare hands.

"She was not a wh-"

"Guys, listen!" Clove cuts off, before Cato and I have time to jump at each other's throats. "What's that?" she asks, with an evil grin. The three of us stop to listen, and I instantly set off running, when I realize the faint sound came from one of the traps I set earlier; Cato and Clove follow me, shouting and swearing when I ignore them. I only stop when I reach the boy.

"Well, well, well," I scorn. "Who said we didn't need my traps?"

Clove and Cato gape at the tribute, who's desperately struggling to free himself from the tangled ropes- "Who is it?" asks Cato. He takes a step forward, holding out his sword, but I stop him before he gets to our victim.

"I caught him, I kill him," I say harshly. Then I take out one of my knives, so I can cut off the ropes and identify the tribute.

"Fair enough," says Cato, much to my surprise. Whoever it is I'm about to kill begins to struggle harder, as I drag the blade closer to the net. _Could it be?_ Adrenaline shoots through my body when I realize the boy can't move one of his legs right; I quickly cut the ropes, anticipating the moment I will slice Lover Boy's face in half…

But it's not Lover Boy.

For a second, it could be- the same height, blonde hair… but this boy has a much darker skin, and brown eyes. I lock my fingers around the District 10 cripple's neck, and stare down at him with disappointment: out of all the remaining tributes, I find him to be one of the most irrelevant- almost as irrelevant as that ginger from Five, or twelve-year-old Rue. "And what would be your name?" I ask, grinning like a mad man.

The boy looks at me, his eyes still full of defiance even though he's gasping for air, and doesn't answer. "Just get this over with," Clove says crankily.

"No." I swing the blade of the knife right in front of Ten's face. I want to give the spectators a show. I want the Capitol to see what I have become thanks to them. I turn back to the boy. "Doesn't matter. I know you're from District 10." I pull over his shirt, and keep studying my knife. "Livestock. And just what do we do to livestock?" I raise my eyebrows and my smile grows wider. "That's right! We brand it."

With the tip of the blade, I slowly carve an "M" on his stomach. I hesitate before carving an "O"- I wanted to write "Marvel", but I think what I have in mind will make more of an impact-, ignoring the boy's screams. They don't affect me; I'm practicing for Lover Boy- I'll write Serena's name in his flesh, and then I'll do the same with Katniss. The star-crossed lovers, linked forever just like they wanted.

"Wow," Cato says tonelessly. "I wasn't expecting that."

I look proudly at the bright red word. "Moo," I read, mocking a cow, before lowering my knife once again. "I guess the odds weren't in your favor, cowboy," I say lightly, before slitting his throat with one clean move. "Let's get out of here," I say, just as the cannon signals the boy's death; Cato and Clove don't say anything, and I think they have a new-found respect for me.

When I get back to the camping and finally manage to get some sleep, Serena visits me in my dreams. She's not swollen from the stingers, or turned into a rotting corpse: she's beautiful as usual, and wearing the blue dress she had put on the first time I saw her on the screen, back in the train. In front of her lies a revolving ocean and the black clouds covering the sky threaten a storm. But Serena remains there, staring at me sorrowfully, as the wind blows on her hair. "Marvel, what have you done?" she asks with disappointment.

"I'm trying to win," I explain desperately. "I'm trying to win for you!"

Serena shakes her head. "You don't have to torture people for that. You're turning out just like Cato and Clove!"

"They're paying," I say stubbornly. "Katniss and Peeta. They're paying for making you suffer!"

"I'm dead, Marvel. I can't suffer." A tear escapes from her eye. "But you can. You have to pull yourself together."

"I can't." I stride towards Serena and pull her closer, leaning my forehead against hers. "I miss you, Baby-face."

"Marvel," Serena sighs in her lovely accent, before gently bringing her lips to mine.

When I wake up, expecting to feel the weight of a head on my chest, she's not there.

* * *

Ever since my demonstration of cruelty towards another tribute, Cato and Clove seem to have regained their faith in me and my skills. I guess that up until I killed the boy from District 10 they considered me to be just an unstable kid, distraught by the death of the girl he had a flirt with.

_Little do they know_.

As I'm sitting here, cleaning my knife with my shirt in the afternoon light, they are discussing how we are going to hunt down Thresh and Katniss- they don't even mention Lover Boy anymore-, especially now that there's only three of us and Katniss has gotten her hands on Glimmer's bow. I'm not very concerned: even if she's able to shoot- which I highly doubt- what's an arrow against a spear? I observe my reflection on the blade. _I'm coming for you, Katniss. I'll make you curse the moment you decided to drop that nest on us._

"What the-" Suddenly, Cato gets up and points at the woods. "_Look! _Over there!"

I slowly turn my head to see what got him in such frenzy; over the treetops, a column of smoke swirls towards the clear blue sky. I can't help a smile- it turns out there _are_ dumber tributes than that girl we killed on the first night; or maybe it's Katniss, teasing us and saying _I'm over here! I'm still alive! Come and get me, suckers!_ That thought causes me to promptly tuck the knife in my belt and grab the heaviest spear I can find.

Chip is standing there, gaping at us as we prepare to go hunting, still holding his plastic box. "You!" Cato shouts, startling him. "Choose a weapon and tag along."

"Why are we taking him with us?" I ask.

"There are only three of us left; we might as well take all the help we can get. Four is better than three, and we're splitting up in order to encircle whoever lit the fire," Cato explains impatiently.

Oh, I see. They don't want me running in the woods by myself, but they don't want the pleasure of my company either.

"We need someone to watch over the supplies," I insist. This is the perfect chance for me to leave the Careers, and they want me to babysit Chip? Because there's no way Cato is leaving Clove unguarded- or worse, alone with me.

"He's coming," Cato finishes off, giving me a dangerous look. "We need him in the woods, and his job's done here anyway. No one can touch those supplies."

"What about Lover Boy?" Mentioning that traitor is my last hope to dissuade Cato from taking Chip with us, since he knows about the booby trap and is most likely to figure out how to avoid it.

"I keep telling you, forget about him. I know where I cut him. It's a miracle he hasn't bled to death yet." Cato is getting angry again, and it takes me a lot of willpower to keep my gaze even. I'm sure that if Lover Boy caused Clove's death, he wouldn't just 'forget about him'. Especially if we take into account that we haven't heard his cannon yet; if he's that wounded, why is he still alive? "At any rate, he's in no shape to raid us. Come on." Cato shoves a spear into Chip's hands and signals us to follow him.

"We're going to kill Katniss!" Clove chants cheerfully, as we head to the trees. "Chop her to pieces, set her on fire…"

"Yes, but remember," Cato snarls. "When we find her, I kill her in my own way, and no one interferes."

I repress a snort. _Not if I get to her first_.

We walk together for about twenty minutes before Cato orders us to go in opposite directions, so we have a wider action range and can ambush Katniss more easily- or maybe he just wants some alone time with Clove; I don't really care. Chip follows me like a shadow, shivering and nervously looking around every time a squirrel passes by, his ashen-skin even more pale than usual. I could kill him easily and then run away, but suddenly it crosses my mind that I actually owe him a lot- after all, he was the one who fixed a certain elevator back at the Training Center- so I just choose to ignore him and take this chance to check if any more of my traps have served their purpose.

"I'm really sorry about what happened to Serena," he says tremulously, out of the blue.

I freeze right in the middle of tying a knot that had gotten loose. "What do you mean?" I ask, with my back still turned to him; it's the first time I hear someone say her name without making it sound like a curse word since she died.

"Well, she was… She was kind," Chip stammers. I can tell he's been thinking a lot about the best way to say this. "She was the only one who didn't act as if I was an insect."

I slowly turn around, giving him a sad smile, as I remember Serena's exaggerated cheerfulness after she took the morphling pill. "She didn't deserve to die that way," I say tonelessly.

_She didn't deserve to die at all._

Chip opens his mouth to say something more, but he never gets to because that's when we hear the explosion.

* * *

**I actually manage to upload this in time! Yay!**

**I'm sorry if this chapter was shorter than usual (sometimes it happens, I'm not very good at keeping the word count even)... anyway, I hope you liked it (despite the slightly disturbing death of the D10 boy... or at least it was disturbing for me to write).**

**Thank you all for not hating me for Serena's death, and a special thanks (I really need to get a way of not repeating myself) to everyone who reviewed the last chapter/liked my username (eheh): julesjumper, chocolate-chip-cookie-monster, Luli Cullen, Allygrlfrnd, Hiaho, and ammyDOS101 :)**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

"What was that?" I shout, when we run into Cato and Clove.

"I don't know," Clove replies. Then, she adds carefully, "I think it came from the Cornucopia."

I follow her concerned gaze in time to see Cato storm off towards our camping, his veins perfectly noticeable in his neck, which has turned bright red. We follow him, and again it crosses my mind that Cato may not be completely sane- and who knows what he can do in his rage? Every time he loses his temper, he loses his reasoning as well, and Clove seems to be the only one capable of calming him down.

Things just go worse when he catches sight of our pyramid of supplies- or what's left of it. Someone, in some way, managed to activate all the land mines Chip had placed so carefully around our provisions, turning them into a pile of incinerated trash, and leaving nothing behind. Cato is angrier than ever- even more than when he punched me; this time, he can't even talk- he seems about to have a stroke, with his veins pulsing dangerously on his temples, and he's opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Then, he falls to his knees, grabbing fistfuls of his own hair and yelling at the top of his lungs, and starts punching the ground violently.

I try not to roll my eyes; I don't really get why he is so upset about losing a bunch of boxes. I've lost so much in the past days that I truly don't mind any of this.

"It's safe to go," says Chip, after throwing a bunch of stones into the fumy wreckage and nothing happening. Clove and I approach the remains of our supplies, and I pretend to look for whatever the explosion may have spared, even though I know nothing's left; Cato just chooses to kick every container he runs across, still yelling incoherently.

Suddenly, Cato stops, and turns to Chip with the deadliest look I have ever seen in his eyes. "You fucking idiot!" he shouts, as he strides towards him furiously. "You should have predicted this!"

Chip has the good sense to turn around and run, but it's too late; Cato catches him from behind, locks his hands around his head and brutally twists it to the side. The cannon doesn't go off fast enough to muffle the sick sound of neck bones snapping.

"I'm going back in there! I'm going back and I'm going to tear out her limbs, one by one!" he vociferates. By 'her', I suppose he's talking about Katniss.

"Cato! Cato, please listen!" Clove is desperately tugging on his jacket, and manages to calm him down enough for me to step in.

"Dude!" I point at the sky. "Whoever did this is dead!"

"There's no way anyone could detonate all the supplies and survive," Clove adds. "They were probably blown up to pieces and we didn't hear the cannon."

"Yeah," I say, relieved that Cato seems less and less likely to take out the rest of his rage on us. "We'll find out who did this when the faces appear tonight."

Actually, I'm not really concerned about finding out who destroyed our supplies. Watching Cato snap Chip's neck like that just because he made a mistake made me think about how he punched me for letting Lover Boy in our alliance; would he have blamed Serena for the same reason? After all, she was the one who talked him into allowing Chip to join us. I grit my teeth at the thought of Cato getting those filthy hands around Serena's delicate neck. I would have killed him without thinking twi-

_I'm dead, Marvel. I can't suffer._

I rub my eyes, trying to make Serena's voice go away. That's it- tonight I'm leaving the Careers, one way or another. Now that Cato has settled down, he's talking to Clove again and ignoring me; I follow them as they step away from Chip's body and wait for the hovercraft to pick it up. I watch sorrowfully as he disappears towards the sky- he was a nice kid, after all. Now there are really only three of us left, and I can't help but think how the only Careers left besides me are precisely the ones I wouldn't have minded to see killed first.

As we wait for the identity of the bomber to be revealed, I lay back and close my eyes, dozing off shortly after; this time, I don't dream about Serena, but there's a horrible symphony with her screams as she died, coupled with the District 10 boy's and the crack of Chip's neck. So it's actually a relief when the anthem wakes me, before they show the seal and the faces of the tributes who died today.

First they show Chip's picture; then, the boy from District 10, meaning that either Rue, Thresh, Katniss or Lover Boy are dead. We wait patiently to find out which one did it… But the seal reappears instead. Out there, someone is laughing at us.

"Alright, let's go," Cato says grimly, as he and Clove put on their night-vision glasses. I light up a branch I pick up from the ground to use as a torch, and as we quickly approach the woods I realize that it's now or never.

"I think we should split up again," I blurt out, after a while. "Whoever exploded our food will not be expecting that."

"Okay," Clove says suspiciously; I can tell she knows what I'm doing. "I'll go with Cato, and you-"

"I'll go this way," I say, before I turn around and disappear into the darkness, without looking behind; I'm getting rid of them, at last; I don't even mind where I'm going, as long as it is far away from Clove, Cato, and his little fits.

The last time I was alone here, it was on full daylight, and I was looking for Serena. But now, with the light of the torch casting shadows on the path in front of me, I feel completely alone for the first time since I entered the arena.

I just miss her so much.

I've reached the top eight, just like I always dreamed- I'm almost a victor; I can imagine that right now a team of reporters is on their way to District 1, looking forward to interview my family and friends. I can practically imagine it: Crystal will be competing against Flint and the rest of my friends, to see who can come up with the most embarrassing story about me; Jem will… well, Jem will probably speak excitedly about how he can't wait to become eligible to be in the Games; my mother will fake a smile and tell the reporters just how grateful she is that I'm being given this chance to bring honor to our district. And my father… I hope he feels proud of his son, and shows them just how happy he is that I'm on my way to glory. All of them, expecting me to return home.

And I _will_ return home. I'm not going to give up now.

But what will happen then? I'll go back to District 1, move out to a bigger house, and be absurdly rich. From time to time, I will have to work as a mentor, but District 1 has many victors. No one in my family will ever have to work again; perhaps I will even get married, to some upper-class wealthy woman. But I will forever be haunted by the memory of the girl I dared to love exactly when I shouldn't.

I sit by a tree and look up at the deep blue sky, with bright stars sprinkled all over it, but I'm not actually watching them.

I don't even want to think about what Serena's family must be going through right now: being forced to watch their sister die just a few days after the arrival of a baby. Getting her body delivered in a wooden box. I shiver, and it has nothing to do with the cold night air; maybe they've even already buried Serena, and she's now lying underground, alone in the dark. I remember her saying she didn't have many friends- did they go and say goodbye as the coffin was being lowered? I'm pretty sure that girl she used to talk about- Sally, I think that was her name- did, but I wonder if Annie Cresta was able to pull herself together.

Then, of course, there are her mentors, who are still somewhere in the Capitol, even though both the tributes from their district are dead- that old lady, and Finnick Odair. I bet he's been watching me, making sure I kept my promise. I bury my face in my hands; if I manage to get out of this alive, I will be forced to look into his eyes year after year, and spot the silent accusation in them. _You ran away when she needed you the most_, they'll say.

I guess I must have zoned out, because when I finally decide to get up and go check some of my traps, I'm really cold, and my limbs are stiff. As I head for the closest one, I try to be as quiet as possible- if there are any tributes around, I don't want them to acknowledge my presence until I reach them. I don't have any luck on the first two traps, though, so I decide to get some rest; I don't even bother about climbing a tree- the only person out there who may possibly be able to kill me is Katniss, and she's already shown that high trees are the least of her problems. I just curl up on a bed of moss, and even though I'm freezing and, more than ever, missing Serena's body heat- I left my sleeping bag back at the camping- I manage to drop off.

* * *

The sun is well high up in the sky when I finally wake up, meaning I slept a lot more than I should; however, I feel well-rested for the first time in weeks, and ready to hunt all day. Before I go, though, I decide to look for water and take a bath; after walking for about half an hour, I run across a wonderful small pond with fresh, clear water. I catch some fishes with my spear, and while I wait for them to cook on the fire I set up with the help of Serena's last match, I take off my jacket- it's too hot to wear it anyway-, shirt, boots and pants- I hope my female sponsors are enjoying the show- and plunge myself up to my neck in the water.

I scrape off the dried blood of the boy from District 10, which had gotten stuck to the skin of my hands and under my nails, and study the swellings left by the tracker jackers; even though I pulled out the stingers, they don't show signs of having gotten any better, and are now as hard as rocks, and still pouring liquid. Then I remember how deformed Serena- not to mention Glimmer- looked, and immediately forget about the pain; I feel a new wave of hatred for Katniss, and the thought that this might be the day I catch her at last is enough for me to bring myself to step out of the water and get going; I quickly eat my fish and, not even bothering about letting myself dry out, I put my clothes back on and head for my next trap.

However, I'm not lucky; most of the traps have been left untouched, and one of them has even gotten untied, and is now completely useless; I set it again and walk away, annoyed that I haven't caught anyone: it might be true that yesterday two tributes died, but it is never enough for the Capitol people, especially now that there's only a few of us left.

I walk for an hour or so before I discover the remains of a campfire; I stare at it for a moment, as its meaning sinks in: after the column of smoke that lured us into the woods, there was a second one, and if I'm not mistaken, this is what's left of its source. This means that whoever blew up our supplies had an ally that acted as a decoy. I look behind, to the place where we saw the first column of smoke, and then forward again, gazing in the direction of my last trap, the one I set the furthest from our camping.

_What if…?_

The trap is still three hours away, and even though I run for most of the way, it's already late afternoon when I get near it; I slow down and begin to walk carefully, trying not to alert my possible prey. Above my head, the mockingjays sing a tune they picked up somewhere, that I hope muffles the sound of my steps.

I hide behind a tree, peeking at the clearing where I left my trap, and smirk when I see it- on the ground lies a figure, still too far away to recognize, but undoubtedly human, helplessly trying to set free from the net. I decide to do things differently this time and get this over with fast; I grab my spear more firmly and take a deep breath- the moment I burst into that clearing, my victim will become aware of my presence, and possibly warn someone. I get out of my hiding place abruptly, running towards my target, who has probably already seen me; I raise my spear, and…

… and the person inside the net screams.

I stop running so suddenly that I almost lose my balance, with my spear still raised over my head. That scream, so high-pitched and childish, can mean only one thing.

Rue. I caught Rue.

I stare at the little girl, who's desperately trying to escape a few feet ahead, as plenty of thoughts run through my mind: I promised Jem I would never hurt little kids like him- out of a joke, yes, but it was still a promise. I think about just leaving her here- she would end up being found by another tribute (hopefully, not Cato or Clove), or eaten by a wild animal- and simply walking away.

"Katniss!" Rue screeches. "Katniss!"

As soon as I hear the name, I'm filled with a blind rage like I've never experienced before. Around me, everything turns red, and all I can see and hear is Rue pleading for help.

For her ally's help.

"Rue!" Katniss's worried voice calls from the trees. "Rue! I'm coming!"

I'm transported back to the lake; I'm calling for Serena, and she's not answering. Because she's helplessly lying on the ground, with no chance of surviving, and thanks to Katniss I'm forced to watch her die. She screams, and the entire world seems to freeze.

"She killed my Serena," I hiss, even though I'm pretty sure Rue doesn't hear me.

It may not have the same effect as killing Lover Boy, but it will do.

_Don't worry. It will be quick_, I want to say_. I just need Katniss to watch_.

But there's no time for that, because suddenly Katniss is storming out of the trees, reaching her hand to Rue.

Before I change my mind, I throw the spear.

I only manage to take a couple of steps forward, in order to remove the spear and let the child die quickly, before the arrow pierces right through my neck; I widen my eyes in shock for a second, the sight of Katniss's bow and the meaning of all this sinking in.

The pain is so agonizing I want to scream, but I can't.

_I'm sorry, Dad_, I think, as I fall on my knees. Now I'll never be a victor. _I'm sorry, Mom_. I'll never go back.

I pull out the arrow as I collapse on top of the dying girl, feeling the blood going up my throat, filling my nose and my mouth, preventing me from breathing. I'm drowning- how ironic. After all the work Serena went through to teach me how to swim. It's almost laughable.

_Serena. At least, my suffering will finally end_.

"Are there more? Are there more?" The corners of my eyes are going dark, and I can barely hear Katniss. She shoves me onto the grass, away from Rue, and the flowers are the last thing I see; I can't help a fading, bloody smile.

Lilies. White lilies.

My only regret is not having kept my promise to Jem.

* * *

**I confess that writing this part completely broke my heart, especially since it (kind of, eheh) means the end...**

**As usual, I want to say thank you to A-Wayward-Soul (I seriously can't thank you enough! Like I said before, English is not my native language, so each positive review on the grammar and plot means a lot to me :') ), Allygrlfrnd, julesjumper, Luli Cullen, chocolate-chip-cookie-monster, Starzy12 (Oh, now I kind of wish I had thought about that idea!) and the anon who reviewed the last chapter :D**

**Well, about the fact this story is ending- there's still the epilogue, although I'm not sure it should be called that... because I'm working on a sequel! I'm not sure if you will like it, though, since it will be almost completely AU. But let's just say it has to do with something Marvel said back in chapter 10 :P**

**Again, than you all!**


	26. Epilogue

**So... I finally got around to upload this! I'm really sorry it took me so long, I hope you like it :)**

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Marvel_

"Marvel! Marvel, please wake up!"

I want to, but my eyelids are just too heavy, and I can't move. I want to do as the voice says- it sounded so desperate, and it's so familiar…

"Give him some time," whispers a second voice.

"But he's not breathing!" The first voice trails off as I let out a gasp and open my eyes, blinking several times due to the bright sunlight shining through the large windows.

_How could I forget that voice?!_

"Baby-face?" I croak. Serena is staring at me in shock, with the dark circles under her eyes standing out over her pale skin, almost as if she is sick; she's wearing a simple white tunic and seems to have just woken up. Serena covers her mouth and shakes her head, but doesn't say anything. "Are you a hallucination?" I ask.

"Not that I know of," she says faintly, with the hint of a smile upon her lips.

"Am I dead?" I shut my eyes again, as Serena begins to gently stroke my hair.

"I don't know," she says softly. "I only woke up a minute ago. The last thing I remember is you screaming at me, after I got stung by tracker jackers."

Suddenly, warm, salty drops of water begin pouring on my face, and I realize that Serena is crying. "Hey, hey," I say soothingly, squeezing her hand. She lets out a muffled sob, and I sit up with difficulty; I'm now aware that I had been laying on a bed, and that there are more people around me, but I can only focus on Serena, who is sitting next to me and biting her lip in an attempt to hold back her tears. I observe her closely, and I'm shocked to find out marks of the tracker jacker stingers- almost invisible, but still there. I wrap my arms around her- has she lost weight?- and bury my nose in her hair. "I'm so sorry," I whisper, as I run my hands along her back. "If I had protected you as I should, you wouldn't have died like that."

"You don't have to be sorry. I would have died, no matter what," she says, against my chest. "There's no way I could have killed you."

"Maybe that would have been for the best," I mutter.

Serena widens her eyes, looking scandalized. "Don't say that!"

I pull away from her, grabbing her shoulders, and sorrowfully look into her eyes. "You don't understand." I have to tell Serena this, but she's making it twice as hard by caressing my neck with her fingertips, right where I suppose Katniss's arrow left a scar. "After I watched you die, knowing it was my fault, I tried to get my revenge on Katniss, and I only made things worse."

"Wait." Serena frowns. "If I'm dead, and you're dead, how come I only woke up now? I mean… From what you're telling me, I'd say I died a few days bef-"

"Would you please listen?" I say, harsher than I should; Serena stops crying and raises her eyebrows, pursing her lips. "I did something horrible." I look down, feeling more ashamed of myself than ever. "I killed Rue."

Serena blinks, surprised, and looks over her shoulder, as if she knows something I don't. "Why, Marvel?" she asks hurtfully, turning back to me. "You know she couldn't hurt you."

"I was so obsessed with making Katniss pay for what she had done to you that when I found out Rue was her ally… I just snapped." Serena is staring at me blankly, and I know exactly what's on her mind. "You think I'm a monster," I say tonelessly.

"No I don't!" she says shakily. "I just… I just didn't know you worried so much about me."

"Well of course I do," I say, a bit annoyed. _Isn't it obvious? _"I went through the worst days of my life! I thought I had lost you- I even buried your blanket." I don't know why I added this last part, but I'm so relieved that I'm seeing Serena again- in some sort of afterlife, or whatever this is- that I just feel the need to spit it out.

"You buried my blanket." Is it just me or is she smiling?

"Yeah. But I kept this." I raise my hand so she can see my wrist; for a moment I panic, as it crosses my mind that I might have lost it on my trip to this place- which is, I see now, filled with people, all of them tremulously getting up from their beds-, but Crystal's bracelet is still there, with the flower dangling next to the heart. "See? You're always close to my heart."

That sounded horribly cheesy, but I really don't care because a moment later Serena is on top of me, and kissing me like there's no tomorrow.

_Serena_

"I love you," I blurt out, before I can help it.

That should have been the very first thing I told Marvel, but I was just so scared that he wouldn't wake up that I just… sort of forgot about it. I have absolutely no clue about where we are- somehow, I know I'm on a boat, and that in some way I died in the arena and then got here, but that's all-, or why we are surrounded by the other tributes- people that I thought gone forever; and worse, people that I thought were still alive.

So when everything stopped spinning enough for me to sit up and look around after I woke up, and the first thing I saw was Marvel on the bed right in front of mine, with his eyes closed and his skin white as paper, I completely freaked out and immediately rushed to him; he wasn't breathing, and not even David could calm me down- perhaps also due to the fact that I almost had a stroke when I saw him calmly getting up from his bed, as if the last time I had seen him he didn't have an axe sticking out of his back, while a few other tributes- including little Rue, who appeared to have been awake for a while- did the same, sending confused glances around.

But suddenly Marvel opened his eyes, and I forgot all about them; he was alive! Well, not exactly _alive_, since I still don't know how any of this is possible, or what is going on. Then he started saying those awful things about himself, and I didn't know how to reply, I just wanted him to shut up already and kiss me. I guess the last straw was his cheesy- but still strangely cute- remark.

I expectantly look into Marvel's eyes, which are still a little glazed, waiting for his reply, as he opens his mouth, surprised; for a second, I'm worried that Peeta turned out to be wrong, but then Marvel gives me his usual smirk, which is, however, nothing when compared to the kindness in is eyes. "I love you too," he whispers, before he drags me down so he can kiss me again.

We're getting pretty, er… intimate- let the others mind their own business- when suddenly I hear someone snort behind me. "You two are obviously not acquainted with the concept of getting a room, are you?"

"Hi, Glimmer," I say, glancing at her and focusing back on Marvel. "Do you know what a third wheel is?"

"Oh, please." I can practically sense her flipping her blonde curls back. "You turn everyone into third wheels as soon as you get near them. Please control your hormones."

"Glimmer, shut up," Marvel groans.

"Fine," she says, pretending to sound offended, as she walks away.

When she's already out of hearing range, Marvel asks "Why are you telling me that now?"

I feel my face heat up; of course we're not done yet with this conversation- we can't just confess our love for each other and then act like nothing's changed. "You mean why did I choose to tell you in a room full of people, when we had so many chances when we were alone?" Marvel nods, and I take a deep breath. "Well, I had my doubts. And when I realized there was no need for that, it was already too late."

Marvel tucks my hair behind my ear. "What made you realize that?" he asks.

"It was Peeta, actually," I say, unable to suppress a smile.

Marvel's smile drops. "Lover Boy?" he asks unpleasantly.

"Well, yes," I widen my eyes at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Marvel's expression softens, and he sits up so he can look around the room. "Where is he, anyway?" I do the same, silently counting up to twenty the tributes spread around what appears to be a mix between a dorm and a ship cabin; some of them are already trying to open a door on the opposite side of the windows, while Cato and Thresh seem to have just woken up, and are now staring at each other in shock. However, there's no sign of Peeta- or Katniss. "Where the hell are we?" Marvel mutters next to me.

As if answering his question, a pleasant voice echoes through the room. "Attention tributes, please report to the deck."

"I don't know," I say, taking his hand and getting up. "Let's find out."

* * *

**Oh my, where to start?**

**First of all, a special thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: julesjumper, Behold-Pandora's-Box, chocolate-chip-cookie-monster, A-Wayward-Sould and Luli Cullen!**

**Also a big thank you to everyone who favored, followed, reviewed and gave this story a shot! It really encouraged me to keep writing :)**

**Which leads us to... what comes next!**

**Without wanting to spoil anything more than I alread have, I will tell you this: the tributes are being taken to another country (this is what Marvel mentioned in Chapter 10)- I've always wondered what exactly exists besides Panem, and I thought it would be interesting to explore that theme, with a whole new society. The story will revolve around the tributes' struggle to deal with having been in the arena and having to adapt to a normal life again... with a twist later on, but I don't want to give away more than I should!**

**I've also completed three more stories (which still need to be proof-read, but I'll upload them as soon as possible)- one about Cashmere (based on Beauty and the Beast), one about President Snow's graddaughter (based on Snow White) and a prequel to this story (a further look on Marvel's reasons to volunteer).**

**Once again, thank you for reading! :D**


End file.
